NFL sends firm message after Jordan Love situation by dropping the hammer twice on Bears defensive player

Bears defensive lineman Austin Booker was fined twice by the league

Wendell Ferreira — NFL News Writer
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Chicago Bears defensive end Austin Booker (94) sacks and injures Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) during the second quarter of their game Saturday, December 20, 2025 at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois. Love left the game and the Bears were penalized for the hit.
Mark Hoffman / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Jordan Love suffered a concussion last week against the Chicago Bears, left the game in the second quarter, and won’t play this week against the Baltimore Ravens. But that won’t be without consequences for the other side.

Bears defensive lineman Austin Booker got fined twice for illegal hits on the Packers’ quarterback. The first was in the first quarter, for using his body weight on Love. The second, in the second quarter, was the blow to the head that caused Love’s concussion.

Booker was fined $5,818 per play, totaling $11,636 in fines for the Bears player.

Bears linebacker D’Marco Jackson was also fined $6,111 for unnecessary roughness (late hit) on Love in the first quarter.

That shows the Bears’ defense wasn’t exactly playing a clean type of football against the Packers, and Love in particular. It’s frustrating for the Packers because the fines don’t change the outcome of the game, and Love’s absence for the final two and a half quarters was obviously key to defining how the game unfolded — with a Bears’ overtime win over Green Bay.

Packers have suffered with late decisions

For two consecutive weeks, the NFL admitted mistakes against the Green Bay Packers after it was too late. After Week 14, it was Chicago Bears wide receiver Luther Burden who was fined for an altercation after Keisean Nixon was flagged during the game.

In Week 15, Denver Broncos safety Talanoa Hufanga was punished by the league and fined $11,593 for unnecessary roughness after a play. It was an obvious hit on Love, but the refs didn’t call the penalty, which means Green Bay didn’t get the extra 15 yards and the automatic first down on the play.

In both instances, the fines proved the Packers should’ve gotten calls, but didn’t during the games. At least in Booker’s case, the penalty was called.

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