The NFL Fined EIGHT Players For Helmet Hits, But Only One Team Paid The Price

Of the eight fines handed out by the NFL for illegal use of the helmet in Week 7, only one actually came with a flag on the field. That’s right, just one. While the league is clearly serious about penalizing players in their wallets, the officials on the field seem to be letting things slide when it comes to the real game-changing consequences.

Cam Skattebo’s Unusual Flag: The Exception, Not The Rule

Giants running back Cam Skattebo was the lone player to get dinged twice for a helmet violation: a $7,073 fine from the league *and* an actual penalty flag during the game. What made Skattebo’s play different? Well, for one, that hit absolutely flattened Texans safety M.J. Stewart. It seems like the visible impact might have been the deciding factor for the officials to throw the flag, making it a truly unusual moment in Week 7. Usually, these kinds of calls don’t happen.

Seven More Fines, Zero Flags, and Skyrocketing Costs

While Skattebo’s wallet got lighter and his team lost some field position, seven other players faced fines without their teams taking a hit on the scoreboard. Broncos linebacker Alex Singleton got hit with a staggering $47,662 fine, and get this: it was his *second straight week* being fined for illegal helmet use. He was tagged for $23,882 the previous week. Talk about a costly habit!

Other players who got fined but walked away without a flag against their team included:

* Bears cornerback Clark Phillips ($11,550)
* Broncos safety Brandon Jones ($23,882)
* Lions safety Brian Branch ($23,882)
* Colts cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt ($7,791)
* Steelers receiver Brandon Smith ($4,916)
* 49ers running back Jordan James ($6,194)

The message is clear: the league is doling out fines, and those fines only get bigger with repeat offenses. But the fact that only one of these eight violations resulted in a penalty being called on the field shows a huge disconnect. Players are consistently paying out of pocket, but their teams aren’t routinely suffering the field position consequences that rule is supposed to enforce. It just highlights how often officials simply don’t call these penalties.

This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.

Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.