Two Chicago Bears players, Austin Booker and Zavion Thomas, are officially lighter in the wallet thanks to NFL fines handed down right before their critical home matchup against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday. Talk about a jolt right before game day, especially when Ben Johnson’s squad is looking strong in his second season at the helm.
What Went Down in Week 9?
This punishment stems from their close 27-24 victory over the Buccaneers in Week 9. The NFL drops these fines every weekend during the season to make sure everyone’s playing by the rules and honoring the sport. Austin Booker, the Bears defensive end, got dinged for $6,457. His foul? Unnecessary roughness involving the use of the helmet in the second quarter, with 30 seconds left on the clock. Then there’s Zavion Thomas, who got slapped with a $6,901 fine for unnecessary roughness involving striking, kicking, or kneeing. That happened in the second quarter too, with 8:37 remaining. Seriously, you gotta keep your head in the game and avoid those kinds of penalties, especially when every play counts.
The Fines and What They Mean
These aren’t just slaps on the wrist that disappear into the ether. The NFL states on their official website that these fines are all about upholding the league’s and the union’s expectations for players to “conduct themselves in a way that honors the sport and respects the game, themselves, their fellow players, the fans and the league.” Plus, the money goes to the Professional Athletes Foundation, which supports Legends in need, and the NFL Foundation. So, while it stings for the players, at least it’s for a good cause. Good news for Booker and Thomas, though, if you can call it good: these were actually “among the lowest fines of the week.” Still, losing any chunk of change is a tough pill to swallow, no matter the amount.
Now, all eyes are on Sunday. The Bears are heading into that Saints game favored to win, but man, no game in this league is a given. You know Ben Johnson isn’t going to let his team play nice or back down. They just gotta stay locked in, keep their cool, and make sure these Week 9 antics don’t spill over into Week 10. Every single game matters, and they need to be sharp for the Saints.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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