The NFL has zero tolerance for players who fake injuries.
According to CBS Sports, the league fined the New Orleans Saints and the Cincinnati Bengals both $550,000 in fines after defensive players on both teams appeared to fake injuries to slow down the momentum of the game.
Last Sunday, it was apparent that Bengals’ safety Jessie Bates III fell to the ground faking an injury to avoid a 12-men on the field penalty.
The video of the incident shows Bates III falling down on the field as if he were sniped from a fan in the stands. It was truly a weak excuse for an “injury” timeout.
Incredibly timed injury here by Jessie Bates 😂pic.twitter.com/HFr987Axzq
— 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐍𝐞𝐰𝐬 (@sportingnews) December 4, 2022
According to NFL writer for Fox Sports, Warren Sharp, Bates III was fined $50,000, head coach Zac Taylor was penalized $100,000, and the team was levied $350,000 for the incident.
In like manner, New Orleans defensive-end, Cam Jordan, some of the Saints’ coaching staff, and the organization themselves, were also hit with big fines after Jordan dropped to one knee suddenly on Monday Night Football, according to NFL Insider Adam Schefter.
NFL fined the Saints $350,000, HC Dennis Allen $100,000, co-defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen $50,000 and DE Cameron Jordan $50,000 for what the league felt was Jordan faking an injury and taking a knee in the 4th qtr Monday night, per sources. All parties plan to appeal fines.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 10, 2022
The fines come less than one week after the NFL issued a league-wide memo to all 32 teams that was obtained by Pro Football Talk, saying that harsh penalties would be enforced if players took ““deliberate actions to delay the game.” (RELATED: Deion Sanders Lands First Five-Star Recruit As Head Coach Of Colorado)
NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero tweeted that Bates plans to appeal the fine while the Saints issued out a statement denying any wrongdoing. Both parties are claiming that their players were legitimately injured, which is hard to believe.
I hate it when players flop to the ground pretending to be hurt. It’s a gut punch to the integrity of the game every time somebody does it. Regardless of the seeming severity, it’s not hard to figure out what’s a real injury and what’s not.
With the NFL fulfilling their threats to harshly penalize teams that do this, I think we’ll see less buffoonery.