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The NFL has made it a point of emphasis this season that it will not be dealing with lack of sportsmanship throughout this season. There have been numerous fines handed out this year, and there have been more handed out after Week 7. One of those fines has been given to Derek Stingley after his involvement in a play with Jaxon Smith-Njigba that led to a viral moment involving an official. The league announced on Saturday that Stingley was fined $11,593 for a facemask that led to the sideline scuffle. While he wasn’t fined for that play, Smith-Njigba was also fined $14,491 after he dunked the ball through the field goal posts after he scored a touchdown. The NFL fined #Texans CB Derek Stingley $11,593 for a facemask, touching off a ruckus on the sideline Monday night in Seattle. No other fines were issued. pic.twitter.com/EWR0l3mM7F— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) October 25, 2025 Midway through the fourth quarter on Monday night’s game, Stingley intercepted Sam Darnold and returned it for 17 yards. Smith-Njigba was trying to make a tackle on the play when Stingley grabbed his facemask as they were going to the sidelines. Smith-Njigba ended up all by himself on the Texans sideline, and official Nathan Jones made sure that nobody messed with the Seahawks receiver. This official is Nate Jones. Jones was a DB at Rutgers, was a 7th round pick of the Cowboys in 2004, and had a 7 year NFL career. He's been an official since 2019. Kudos to him for this and kudos to the ESPN crew who named him on the MNF broadcast. pic.twitter.com/vkBwqbbens— Peter Schrager (@PSchrags) October 21, 2025 It was a moment that blew up on social media, with ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky giving him a shoutout on the broadcast. Stingley has become one of the top cornerbacks in the NFL since the Texans selected him with the No. 3 pick in the 2021 nFL Draft out of LSU. Derek Stingley Jr. #24 of the Houston Texans reacts after making an interception against the Miami Dolphins during the fourth quarter at NRG Stadium on December 15, 2024 in Houston, Texas. In each of the last two seasons, he has had five interceptions, with the pick on Monday night being his second of the season. No player wants to get fined during the season, but the figure isn’t too bad for Stingley as he signed a three-year, $90 million contract in March that made him the highest paid defensive back in NFL history. It hasn’t been quite the season the Texans envisioned, as the team has won the AFC South each of the last two seasons. At 2-4, the team is facing a must-win situation on Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers if they want a chance to stay in the AFC South race with the Indianapolis Colts and Jacksonville Jaguars. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET and the game will be on FOX. For more on the Houston Texans and general NFL news, head over to Newsweek Sports.
