A pair of Panthers players get hit in their pocketbooks following Week 13 loss to Buccaneers

Running back Raheem Blackshear and cornerback Caleb Farley have each received fines from the NFL for unnecessary roughness during the Carolina Panthers' Week 13 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Blackshear was flagged for unnecessary roughness on a punt return in the third quarter. It was offset by a facemask penalty committed by Buccaneers linebacker […]

Nick Roesch NFL Trending News Writer
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Panthers running back Raheem Blackshear returns a punt
© Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Running back Raheem Blackshear and cornerback Caleb Farley have each received fines from the NFL for unnecessary roughness during the Carolina Panthers' Week 13 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Blackshear was flagged for unnecessary roughness on a punt return in the third quarter. It was offset by a facemask penalty committed by Buccaneers linebacker Vi Jones (who was also fined). Farley's unnecessary roughness penalty came on the Panthers' opening kickoff of overtime. 

Tampa Bay would go on to miss a field goal attempt on that drive, so the penalty didn't end up having any impact, nor did Blackshear's from earlier in the game. Carolina's valiant effort came up just short as it lost on a game-winning Bucs field goal towards the end of overtime 

For some reason, Farley's fine is a little bit bigger than Blackshear's – the former getting hit at $5,861, and the latter $5,472. The Panthers signed Farley back in October, and he has appeared in five games for them this season. Injuries and disappointing play have derailed Farley's career thus far after being a first-round pick by the Tennessee Titans in 2021.

Blackshear is having a strong year as a return specialist and is currently leading that department in Pro Bowl voting. He has accumulated 144 punt return yards (nine per return) and 679 kickoff return yards (25.1 per return) this season. Blackshear entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Buffalo Bills, but has spend most of his three-year career in Carolina. 

Blackshear, Farley and the rest of the Panthers will put Week 13 behind them as they gear up for a huge matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles. Carolina has played better as of late and will look to carry that momentum on the road against one of the elite teams of the NFL. A strong finish to the season will give Panthers fans a gleam of hope for the future.