Adam Gotsis‘ hit on Kenny Pickett very nearly kept the Steelers quarterback from making his next start. The blow injured Pickett’s ribs. And on Saturday, the NFL fined the Jaguar.
In the game, which was played last Sunday, officials didn’t even throw a flag. But the penalty came Saturday. The league fined Gotsis, the Aussie who got to the NFL via Georgia Tech, $7,167. The hit wasn’t late. Rather, it was for the extra juice Gotsis put into the slam of Pickett’s body to the turf.
You can check out the hit in this video clip shared by Steelers Depot. Note that Pittsburgh lost the game, 20-10.
As for Pickett, he said of the Gotsis’ hit: “It’s frustrating. It’s part of the game, though. “I’ve been doing it for a little bit. It is what it is. You’ve just got to be available and ready to go Thursday night” (against the Titans).
NFL also tagged Steelers star TJ Watt for slap of Trevor Lawrence
Pickett made his next start, leading the Steelers to a 20-16, come-from-behind, home victory over Tennessee. That was on Thursday Night Football, so the Pittsburgh players can take some time off this weekend.
Meanwhile, Steelers star TJ Watt also needs to turn loose of some cash. The NFL fined him $16,391 for his hit on Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence. The league took note of Watt hitting Lawrence’s face. Officials last Sunday didn’t flag it.
As always, there’s video. So relive the moment.
The Jaguars are off this Sunday. They come into November riding a five-game winning streak. And Jacksonville definitely is one of the hottest teams in the league. Here’s one reason. They don’t often get flagged. Jags Wire noted that the Gotsis’ fine was only the second assessed fine against a Jaguars player for a game-related issue. The NFL slapped defensive end Jeremiah Ledbetter $5,611 for a hiit on Bills quarterback Josh Allen in week five. Through the first half of the season, Jacksonville is No. 3 on the list of the league’s least penalized teams behind the Bengals and Eagles.
Meanwhile, the Steelers are just outside the top 10 for least penalized teams. Officials have flagged them 46 times. You can check out the teams and how they rank here.
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