The NFL is coming down hard on Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley after a controversial incident against the Kansas City Chiefs.
The league announced on Saturday that the All-Pro running back had been given a hefty fine for a hit he delivered in the game. The NFL itself took some criticism as well for highlighting the play on social media, only to later hand Barkley a fine for doing it.
NFL Makes Decision on Saquon Barkley’s Punishment
The NFL announced that Barkley was fined $46,371 for unnecessary roughness and improper use of the helmet for a play where he collided hard with Chiefs cornerback Chamarri Conner. Barkley appeared to hit Conner’s facemask with the crown of his helmet, the kind of hit that the league has been cracking down on in recent years.
Barkley had not been flagged on the play, and the NFL even featured the hit on its X account.
“Saquon ran through him,” the caption read.
Barkley was not flagged on the play, and the Eagles went on to win the game to send the Chiefs to 0-2. As USA Today’s Jacob Canemaker noted, the league’s rulebook allows for fines even when
“Player infractions may come to the league’s attention in a variety of ways,” the league’s rulebook reads. “The league may respond to an official’s call during a game or to a specific play that a team submits for review. The NFL Officiating Department also reviews every play from every game and refers potential violations to the Football Operations compliance team.
“League staff members examine the plays identified as having potential infractions to determine whether there is cause for additional review.”
Barkley’s fine was particularly large due to his status as a repeat offender, Canemaker noted. He has been fined a total of $113,246 throughout his NFL career.
Travis Kelce Hit With His Own Fine
Barkley was not the only star offensive player to earn a fine from last week’s game. Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce was also fined for an obscene celebration after he made a catch.
As Austin Nivison of CBS Sports noted, Kelce’s celebration drew the attention of fans and announcers, so his fine had been expected by many.
“While Barkley’s offense probably didn’t register in real time, Kelce’s was a little more obvious,” Nivison wrote. “After a long catch and run in the third quarter, Kelce performed a gesture involving his groin area. For that, the NFL fined Kelce $14,491 for unsportsmanlike conduct/obscene gestures.”
The Chiefs are trying to get their season back on track after falling short in their first two games. They face the New York Giants on Sunday, looking to avoid the franchise’s first 0-3 start since 2011.
The Chiefs will be without one of their most dangerous playmakers, with second-year receiver Xavier Worthy being ruled out. He missed last week’s game as well after colliding with Kelce in a season-opening loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. Worthy had shown improvement, but the Chiefs determined he would need more time to recover and could be on track to return in Week 4.