Two Atlanta Falcons players have now been fined by the NFL for unnecessary roughness infractions, although one was significantly more expensive than the other.
Linebacker Kaden Elliss has been fined $16,391 for a hit he made against the Lions in Week 3, according to ESPN’s Michael Rothstein.
The NFL also fined Falcons LB Kaden Elliss $16,391 for unnecessary roughness against the Lions.
— Michael Rothstein (@mikerothstein) September 30, 2023
However, Elliss probably isn’t feeling too bad after seeing how much Falcons fullback Keith Smith has to pay. Smith was fined $87,000 for leading with his helmet on a hit he made during the opening kickoff return.
The below hit against the Lions is what earned Smith’s hefty fine, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
You can see Keith Smith (No. 40) laying out a #Lions player here. That hit — specifically using the helmet to make it — is what led to one of the biggest fines so far this NFL season. https://t.co/r55xGIE5HK pic.twitter.com/4Peo6jq4c2
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) September 30, 2023