NFL drops the hammer on 3 young Bills players just days before the start of the regular season
Three Buffalo Bills players were fined for preseason plays as the NFL released a full slate of exhibition penalties.
The fines are back in the NFL. The league released its entire slate of preseason fines for incidents during the exhibition games, and three Buffalo Bills players were hit with penalties. All three are young players still working to establish themselves in the league.
Preseason games can also generate punishment to players
Edge defender Landon Jackson received the largest fine of the group at $8,190 for unnecessary roughness. The description of the infraction was striking/kicking/tripping/knee. The play occurred in the second quarter of the Bills’ first preseason game, a 29-14 win over the Carolina Panthers at Highmark Stadium.
The second fine came in Week 2 of the preseason. Offensive lineman Chase Lundt was flagged in the fourth quarter of Buffalo’s 31-7 win over the Cleveland Browns in Ohio. Lundt was fined $5,868 for unsportsmanlike conduct because of taunting.
The third fine went to rookie safety Jalon Kilgore, a fifth-round pick. Kilgore was penalized in the second quarter of the Bills’ 28-27 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third preseason game. The infraction was unnecessary roughness for use of the helmet, and the amount was $5,560.
Fines go for good causes around the football world
The NFL uses its fine schedule to outline the league’s and the NFLPA’s expectations for players. The rules are designed to protect players from unnecessary risk and emphasize sportsmanship, according to the league.
Player infractions can come to the league’s attention through several channels. The NFL may respond to an official’s call during a game or to a specific play a team submits for review. The league’s officiating department also reviews every play from every game and refers potential violations to the Football Operations Compliance Team.
The fines collected are donated to the Professional Athletes Foundation to support legends in need and the NFL Foundation. Those funds further support the health and safety of athletes across all levels, including youth football, and the communities that support the game. Since 2011, about $4 million per year has been used to support those causes.
For the Bills, the major concern is that repeating offenders might get suspended later in the season.
