The Minnesota Vikings have played relatively clean football so far this season. They are tied for 15th for the fewest penalties against them this season and haven't gotten many fines this season.

Throughout the 2024 season, the Vikings have only had three games in which players got fined with six total fines.

Week 10:

• RB Cam Akers: $6,544
• ILB Blake Cashman: $11,255
• LT Cam Robinson: $11,255

Week 8:

• RB Aaron Jones: $11,817
• ILB Ivan Pace Jr.:$5,120

Week 2:

• DE Jihad Ward: $9,667

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Jerry Tillery hit with unique fine

Against the Arizona Cardinals, defensive end Jerry Tillery was hit with a fine of $15,167 after a first quarter play.

Vikings DE Jerry Tillery was fined $15,167 on this play for hitting a defenseless player, in this case the long snapper pic.twitter.com/DQZimSFlSY

— Tyler Forness (@TheRealForno) December 7, 2024

This looks like a simple field goal block with nothing egregious. Why would Tillery get fined for it?

If you look closely, Tillery is 99 and is lined up over the long snapper. You can't hit the long snapper, as they are considered a defenseless player. Why do they get that distinction? They have their head down and it puts them in danger, which is why the rule is in place.

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The National Football League's rulebook has it defined on how you can't make contact with a defenseless player.

Prohibited contact against a player who is in a defenseless posture is: 

1. forcibly hitting the defenseless player’s head or neck area with the helmet, facemask, forearm, or shoulder, even if the initial contact is lower than the player’s neck, and regardless of whether the defensive player also uses his arms to tackle the defenseless player by encircling or grasping him 

2. lowering the head and making forcible contact with the crown or ”hairline” parts of the helmet against any part of the defenseless player’s body

3. illegally launching into a defenseless opponent. It is an illegal launch if a player (i) leaves both feet prior to contact to spring forward and upward into his opponent, and (ii) uses any part of his helmet to initiate forcible contact against any part of his opponent’s body. (This does not apply to contact against a runner, unless the runner is still considered to be a defenseless player, as defined in Article 7.)

It was evident that Tillery did, as he ran him over while trying to block the kick. It makes sense why he was fined, but he does have the ability to appeal if he so chooses.

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