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The NFL has fined the Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker, Kwon Alexander, for a hit he made during his team’s first preseason game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Even though it’s the preseason, the league still makes decisions as a way to protect players. Sometimes, it results in a fine for a hit they deem unnecessary.
That appears to be the case for Alexander, however, the hit the NFL fined him for looks like a clean hit.
I mean, it looks like it’s a textbook tackle that coaches everywhere love to see.
According to Brook Pryor, the NFL fined the Steelers linebacker $43,709. The reason the league fined him is because they view his tackle as unnecessary roughness.
Here’s the hit in question.
This hit cost Steelers ILB Kwon Alexander a $43,709 fine for unnecessary roughness, source confirms. pic.twitter.com/vEMPVL9fcl
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) August 19, 2023
From a technical stand point, Kwon Alexander led with his helmet. But his head looks like it was up and he hits Chase Edmonds right in the numbers.
The tackle wasn’t too low, as Alexander wasn’t diving at Edmond’s knees. Also, it wasn’t too high as the Steelers linebacker wasn’t head hunting either.
So, it’s kind of crazy he was fined over $43K for that tackle. Especially when you see Pat McAfee breakdown how much NFL veterans are paid versus what Kwon Alexander was fined.
Vets get paid $3200 a week in preseason
-$40,509 on the week… FOR THAT HIT?!?
Yikes https://t.co/JrOhMNv4Nc
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) August 20, 2023
When you look at it that way, that’s tough week for Alexander.
Maybe the Steelers pick up the fine for him, maybe they won’t. It kind of just depends on the franchise. But still, a lot of people make $43K in a year. So, it’s wild to see someone be paid that amount of money for basically doing his job.