NFL Fined Steelers RB Jaylen Warren Entire Game Check For Unflagged Contact Using Helmet Against Browns

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Each week, the NFL hands down fines for illegal hits and/or other illegal behavior on the field during the previous week's games. Generally, when a player does something illegal, referees throw flags. Sometimes, they don't. One of those cases came with Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren.

During Monday night's game against the Cleveland Browns, Warren took a screen pass up the sideline for a big game. At the very end of the play, a Cleveland defender came in to knock Warren out of bounds. Warren lowered his head to brace for the hit.

The defender, safety Juan Thornhill, and Warren collided. Warren went down and the play was over. Referees did not penalize Warren or anyone else on the play.

The NFL, though, deemed that Warren illegally used his helmet to initiate contact.

8d0dd28e-Cleveland Browns v Pittsburgh Steelers

PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - SEPTEMBER 18: Jaylen Warren #30 of the Pittsburgh Steelers carries the ball against the Cleveland Browns during the third quarter at Acrisure Stadium on September 18, 2023 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)

All of that aside, let's say the NFL is correct. OK, so they fined Warren. But the amount of the fine is peculiar. As one X (formerly Twitter) user pointed out, the fine ($48,333) amounted to an entire paycheck for Warren.

So that contact means that, essentially, he played the Monday night game for free. In fact, thanks to taxed, he PAID money to play in that game.

Warren makes a very low salary as an undrafted free agent and the NFL doesn't take player salary into account when determining fines.

But here's the other curious note: the league fined Denver Broncos safety Kareem Jackson just under $20,000 for his hit on Washington Commanders tight end Logan Thomas.

Not only did referees flag Jackson for the play, they ejected him from the game. That's how egregious his illegal hit was.

Plus, this was the second week in a row that Jackson was flagged and fined for hitting an opposing player in the head. He concussed both Thomas and Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Jakobi Meyers.

Yet, he received a fine less than half of Warren's fine.

Make it make sense.

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Dan began his sports media career at ESPN, where he survived for nearly a decade. Once the Stockholm Syndrome cleared, he made his way to OutKick. He is secure enough in his masculinity to admit he is a cat-enthusiast with three cats, one of which is named "Brady" because his wife wishes she were married to Tom instead of him.