Amon-Ra St. Brown’s innocuous block midway through the first quarter of the Lions’ game Sunday didn’t draw a flag, but it certainly earned a massive fine six days later.
Detroit’s star receiver was fined $43,709 — one of the NFL’s highest fines this season — for appearing to lower his helmet while blocking Bears safety Jaquan Brisker, with his fee getting categorized under the league’s “unnecessary roughness” label on the fine log.
The Lions had called a rushing play for David Montgomery on the second down with just over minutes remaining in the first quarter, and St. Brown cut toward Brisker from his spot on the outside to block before Montgomery arrived.
The NFL has tried “cracking down on lowering the head to initiate contact,” according to NFL Network.It’s not just running backs: The NFL fined #Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown $43,709 for this block last week against Chicago.
St. Brown is wearing No. 14 here. The league has been cracking down on lowering the head to initiate contact.
While it’s unclear if St. Brown will appeal the fine, it marked the most expensive one on the NFL’s list for Week 11, with Panthers safety Xavier Woods and Steelers linebacker Alex Highsmith (both $16,391) tied for the second.
St. Brown, in his third professional season with the Lions, has caught 82 passes for 993 yards and five touchdowns through 10 games, and he sits fifth in the NFL for total yards by receivers this season — behind Tyreek Hill (1,324), CeeDee Lamb (1,066), A.J. Brown (1,013) and Keenan Allen (1,011).
In their game against the Bears, the Lions trailed by 12 points late in the fourth quarter but scored two touchdowns in the final minutes to take the NFC North clash.
But four days later, against the Packers on Thanksgiving Day, Detroit trailed by 14 points at halftime and never erased that deficit in their 29-22 loss, which dropped their record to 8-3 this season.
They’ll face the Saints on Dec. 3 as they try to hold off the Vikings at the top of their division.