Arizona Cardinals linebacker Krys Barnes believed he would receive a letter this week from the NFL this week informing him about a fine for unnecessary roughness. That wasn’t the case.
In the fourth quarter, at the end of a six-yard run by Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love in which he went into a slide, Barnes was trying to jump over Love, but his hand made contact with Love’s helmet mostly because Love’s upper body raised slightly off the ground.
Barnes and Love were teammates on the Packers for three seasons from 2020 through 2022.
Earlier this week, Barnes said, “It was nothing malicious. I was really trying to get over him sliding into my legs. I said a few words to him when he stood up and he said a few words to me after that little hit. It’s still all love between us. He knows (there was) nothing malicious on my part. Hopefully, when this fine letter comes, he takes care of it, but that will be a different conversation. There was no ill will.”
Barnes told Cards Wire on Friday that he hadn’t received a fine letter, which appeared to be good news because players usually receive those earlier in the week.
It was confirmed there was no fine when the NFL announced them for 24 players on Saturday.
Unfortunately, that wasn’t the outcome for running back DeeJay Dallas and safety Joey Blount, who were fined.
Dallas was fined $11,102 for a controversial horse-collar tackle of Jayden Reed on a punt return in the second quarter that wiped out a fumble recovery. Blount was fined $5,472 for a first-quarter facemask penalty, also on a punt return.
Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander was fined $11,255 for a facemask penalty in the second quarter on a four-yard run by quarterback Kyler Murray. Alexander was covering wide receiver Michael Wilson on the opposite of the field.
Dallas wasn’t happy about the fine, and told CardsWire he is appealing. On the play, it appeared Dallas did not have his hand inside Reed’s collar and he said the league told him it was still a penalty for pulling down on Reed’s jersey.
While many believe a hand has to be inside the collar, the rule confirms the league’s interpretation. Sorry, DeeJay.
It says, “No player shall grab the inside collar of the back or the side of the shoulder pads or jersey, or grab the jersey at the name plate or above, and pull the runner toward the ground. This does not apply to a runner who is in the tackle box or to a quarterback who is in the pocket.
“Note: It is not necessary for a player to pull the runner completely to the ground in order for the act to be illegal. If his knees are buckled by the action, it is a foul, even if the runner is not pulled completely to the ground.”
Watching the replay, it does appear that Dallas grabbed the jersey at the name and that Reed’s knees did slightly buckle. It wasn’t egregious, which might mean an appeal could result in a reduction of the fine amount.
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