Steelers find relief as Jaylen Warren appeals and successfully rescinds $48556 fine

After a rough start against the San Francisco 49ers, the Pittsburgh Steelers managed to regroup in subsequent games. Holding a promising 7-5 record and eyeing potential Super Bowl contender status, their ambitions took a hit in Weeks 13 and 14, facing setbacks against the struggling teams, the Arizona Cardinals and New England Patriots, garnering criticism from Stephen A. Smith.

Beyond the defeats, the on-field actions of the team’s players turned into a nightmare, burdening them with substantial fines. Nevertheless, amid these challenges, Pittsburgh’s running back, Jaylen Warren, experienced a significant victory as the NFL rescinded one of his fines, providing a silver lining in the midst of their season’s struggles.

Warren’s fine reversed amidst Steelers’ season of penalties

The NFL has decided to overturn the hefty fine imposed on Jaylen Warren during the team’s recent triumph over the Los Angeles Rams. Initially fined a staggering $48,556, for was deemed a simple block in pass protection, Warren was caught by the NFL after they labeled his hit on Michael Hoecht as unnecessary roughness.

According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, Warren and his agent successfully appealed the fine, resulting in the league rescinding the substantial penalty. This marks the second time this season that Warren has faced fines from the NFL, with the first stemming from a hit against Browns safety Juan Thornhill in Week 2.

Remarkably, Warren’s fines totaled over $90,000 across two incidents, both related to unnecessary roughness penalties due to lowering his helmet. Interestingly, he also managed to have the initial $48,333 fine from the hit on Thornhill reduced to $39,000 through a successful appeal.

Nevertheless, none of these two plays were flagged during the game, which once again reminds us of former NFL player J.J. Watt’s take on the league regarding their way of “stealing money” through unusual fines.

Before the recent overturning of the second fine, Warren faced the prospect of losing approximately 10% of his 2023 salary to fines. While the running back position is already low-paid, prompting some running backs to hold a meeting to voice their frustration as the fines fall heavily on the Steelers player.

To express his frustration, the running back mentioned the significant impact on his family, urging that the money could have been used to support his loved ones.

“It’s so much money. That’s money I could give my family.”

The soon-to-be free agent, with his good-humored remark about playing for the “love of the game” as the fine approached the amount of his game check, can now breathe a sigh of relief. With the financial burden lifted, he can focus on leading the NFL with an impressive 5.6 yards per carry average and contributing a team-high 884 all-purpose yards for the Steelers.

Steelers’ defense takes hits with fines for Week 13 infractions

The Pittsburgh Steelers find themselves under the watchful eye of the NFL once again, as two additional players, inside linebacker Elandon Roberts and safety Miles Killebrew, come under scrutiny for their actions during Week 13 against the Arizona Cardinals. 

This further compounds the team’s already substantial financial penalties, with the Steelers collectively facing fines exceeding $400,000 this season.

Roberts, known for his hard-hitting plays, was fined $21,855 for a hit on Cardinals running back Emari Demercado in the first quarter of the game. The impact of the hit led to Demercado sustaining a neck injury, prompting the officials to call unnecessary roughness on Roberts.

Furthermore, this fine aligns with the NFL’s official schedule of fines, marking Roberts’ second offense for a “hit on a defenseless player” as per the collective bargaining agreement between the league and its players association.

Meanwhile, special teams captain Miles Killebrew was fined $10,297 for unnecessary roughness in the fourth quarter. Killebrew’s tumultuous game included three flags, one of which resulted in the fine. The penalty in question arose from a facemask incident during a Cardinals punt return, with the repercussions extending to a 15-yard penalty.

The individual fines for Roberts and Killebrew contribute to the Steelers’ overall financial burden, with the team accumulating nearly $400,000 in fines through 13 weeks of the season, per a report by WVNSTV featured on SI.com.

The situation is exacerbated by running back Jaylen Warren’s high-profile fines, positioning the Steelers as one of the most penalized teams in the league this year.

What’s your take on the NFL imposing hefty fines on players occasionally?