NFL did not hold the Vikings accountable for the hit that injured Bears QB Tyson Bagent, but did come after one Chicago defender
No fines were handed out to Minnesota Vikings linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel nor pass rusher Dallas Turner for their hits on Chicago Bears quarterback Tyson Bagent.
The NFL has sent out the league-wide fines from Week 2 of the regular season and only one play from the game between the Chicago Bears and the Minnesota Vikings warranted a fine, and many would have expected there to be more.
For starters, there was no fine handed out to Vikings linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel nor pass rusher Dallas Turner for their fourth quarter hits on Bears backup quarterback Tyson Bagent. Earlier this week, Bagent was diagnosed with a concussion and is questionable going into Monday’s night game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Van Ginkel’s hit was easily the most egregious and the play that initially caused Bagent’s concussion. The play was late in the fourth quarter on Bagent’s second snap. After throwing the pass airborne, Van Ginkel launched himself toward Bagent’s head and initiated the late contact. There was no flag on the play and the hit was not deemed worthy of a fine after the league reviewed it. The same goes for the final play during which Turner body slammed Bagent onto the field.
Tyrique Stevenson, instead, was the lone player fined from last Sunday’s game
The only player that was fined from Sunday’s game between the Bears and Vikings was Chicago cornerback Tyrique Stevenson. Stevenson was fined $22,342 for an illegal use of helmet on a tackle he made against Vikings running back Aaron Jones in the fourth quarter. Jones’ helmet came off during the hit, but there was no flag thrown on the play.
Another play that was not enforced by the league fines was the late hit by Vikings wide receiver and special teamer Tai Felton against Bears returner Kalif Raymond. Raymond was clearly out of bounds on the play before getting hit, but no flag or fine was handed out for that play either. That could have easily be a fine for late hit and/or unnecessary roughness.
“I thought I caught it out of bounds so that’s why I stopped, but if they pick up the flag, you just keep rolling,” Raymond said after the game. “At that point it don’t matter anymore, we just have to go and score.”
It’s not the news Bears fans wanted to hear on a Saturday, but now we can at least move on from that horrible game and look ahead to Monday Night Football against the Eagles.
