Three players fined in Week 1 for fouls in suspension-eligible categories
Bills safety Sam Franklin, Dolphins cornerback Chris Johnson and Packers safety Evan Williams were fined in Week 1 for fouls in the five categories the NFL and NFLPA count toward a suspension
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Three players were fined in Week 1 for fouls in one of the five categories the NFL and NFLPA have designated as counting toward a suspension, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported.
Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero): Three players were fined in Week 1 for fouls in one of the five categories the NFL and NFLPA designated as counting towards a suspension: 🏈 Bills S Sam Franklin ($9,425 for a blindside block) 🏈 Dolphins CB Chris Johnson ($17,911 for a hip-drop tackle) 🏈 Packers S Evan Williams ($7,087 for a hit on a defenseless player) Three fouls in any one category results in a one-game suspension. The players can appeal the fines.
The trio includes Bills safety Sam Franklin ($9,425 for a blindside block), Dolphins cornerback Chris Johnson ($17,911 for a hip-drop tackle) and Packers safety Evan Williams ($7,087 for a hit on a defenseless player). Under the league's discipline framework, three fouls in any single one of those categories results in a one-game suspension. The players can appeal the fines, which are the opening step in what could become a longer-term accountability track if the violations pile up across the season.
The designations are part of a broader push by the league and the players' union to target the most dangerous blocks and hits. By counting repeat offenders' fouls in those specific categories toward a suspension, both sides have created a clear mechanism meant to discourage the plays at the center of player-safety concerns. All three players remain eligible to play while the fines are processed and any appeal plays out.