(NEXSTAR) — Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was recently fined more than $14,000 for celebrating a touchdown pass by making a “violent gesture.” San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa was fined $11,255 after crashing a live interview while wearing a MAGA hat. Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb racked up thousands — and maybe even more than $1 million — for sitting out of training camp earlier this year.
Numerous players (and even some coaches) have been fined this season, some for dangerous plays and others for comments made about officiating.
So where does all the money go? As annoying as the fines may be for the players, the money largely benefits charity under the current Collective Bargaining Agreement between the NFL and the NFL Players Association.
Where the funds go depends on the fine being imposed.
Should a team impose a fine, say, because the player was late to practice or threw a football into the stands, the CBA outlines that at least half of the fine must go toward supporting “local or other youth football programs.”
Fines levied against a head coach or team due to off-season workout violations are split in half, benefiting both the Player Care Foundation and the Gene Upshaw Players Assistance Trust.
If a player is fined for violating the physical and mental health guidelines in the CBA, the money is “allocated to medical research programs.” If a player is fined over a sensor (which collects health and performance information) violation, the money “shall be allocated to research programs.”
Commissioner discipline fines are split between the Players Assistance Trust and “charitable organizations jointly determined” by the league and the players association unless another agreement is reached. If the NFL and NFLPA can’t agree on one charitable organization, they can each select a charitable organization or organizations to receive a quarter of the fine.
There are also fines for on-field actions. Those include offenses against game officials; infractions related to player safety and personal fouls, sportsmanship, uniform; fighting, and “gang signing.”
The fines for first-offense actions range from slightly more than $5,600 — imposed for most uniform violations such as an unapproved visor tint — to roughly $39,500 for fighting or making physical contact with an official. The range for second offenses is from $11,255 to over $79,000.
According to the CBA, mitigating and aggravating factors can reduce or raise the fines. Regardless, the fines collected due to on-field behavior “are donated to the Professional Athletes Foundation to support Legends in need and the NFL Foundation to further support the health, safety and wellness of athletes across all levels, including youth football and the communities that support the game,” according to the NFL.
“We don’t want to fine anybody,” Akil Coad, the league’s vice president of compliance, said, “and we actively try to prevent it.”
JC Tretter, who played for the Cleveland Browns and Green Bay Packers, and, until earlier this year, served as the president of the NFLPA, previously explained that players were concerned about the league “excessively fining players.” He notes, though, that players can appeal fines or get back part of fines imposed for first-offense on-field violations by participating in remedial training and not accruing a second offense.
Through Week 11 of the NFL season, 283 plays have resulted in fines. According to the league, that is slightly more than 1% of all plays. The highest-fined player was Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams, who was on the hook for $19,697 for an “obscene” touchdown celebration he called a nod to Calvin Johnson, who was inducted into the team’s “Pride of the Lions” on the same day.
The highest fine issued so far this season was a $66,666 bill against Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Denzel Perryman over a helmet-to-helmet hit on Kansas City Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt in Week 4, according to Sports Illustrated.
The most common on-field violation through Week 11 has been unnecessary roughness calls related to the facemask, followed by unnecessary roughness-taunting calls. Players for the New Orleans Saints have been fined the most at 18 times, while the Packers have been fined the fewest at just three times.
Lions safety Brian Branch is the most frequently fined player, all for different reported violations: four unnecessary roughness calls — hip-drop tackle, hit on a defenseless player, striking/kicking/kneeing, and use of the helmet — and unsportsmanlike conduct for making an obscene gesture.
Most fines imposed this season have been below $10,000, but based on the available data from the NFL, more than $3.2 million in fines have been issued this year.
