Pair of Cardinals cornerbacks end the season with news they don't want to hear from the NFL
Arizona Cardinals cornerbacks Sean Murphy-Bunting and Starling Thomas V have both received fines from the NFL for incidents during their Week 18 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers. Starting with Murphy-Bunting, he was fined $11,817 for unnecessary roughness towards 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings midway through the second quarter. While run blocking against Murphy-Bunting, Jennings […]
Arizona Cardinals cornerbacks Sean Murphy-Bunting and Starling Thomas V have both received fines from the NFL for incidents during their Week 18 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers.
Starting with Murphy-Bunting, he was fined $11,817 for unnecessary roughness towards 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings midway through the second quarter. While run blocking against Murphy-Bunting, Jennings blocked him to the ground.
Murphy-Bunting took exception to that, bouncing up with hands to the face of Jennings and eventually ripping his helmet off. Both players were ejected from the game, effectively ending their 2024 campaigns. Jennings was not fined because he did not retaliate. NFL Insider Tom Pelissero posted the play on X.
As for Thomas, he was fined $5,083 for unnecessary roughness, ironically on the play previous to Murphy-Bunting's, and also against Jennings. Thomas and Jennings were engaged in run blocking and both fell to the ground. The two scrummed around for a bit, both drawing unnecessary roughness penalties, which offset.
Jennings definitely got off easy not receiving a fine despite being involved in both incidents, which occurred right after the other. His altercation with Thomas was actually worse as Jennings threw him to the ground, following that with a shove to the face. However, Jennings' ejection cost him reaching the 1,000-yard receiving milestone by just 25 yards.
Murphy-Bunting was off to a good start in the game before getting ejected, picking off 49ers quarterback Joshua Dobbs during the first quarter. The Cardinals signed Murphy-Bunting to a three-year, $17.4 million contract last offseason. He finished 2024 with 52 total tackles, three interceptions, five passes defensed, and two forced fumbles.
Thomas was a diamond in the rough find for Arizona this year, claiming him off waivers back in August after he was cut by the Detroit Lions. The 2024 undrafted free agent Thomas would go on to start 15 games for the Cardinals, recording 47 total tackles, six passes defensed, and one forced fumble on the season.
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