NFL Announces Punishment For Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs

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NFL Announces Punishment For Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Chris Phelps | Last updated Sep 19, 2026 4:33 PM ET

Jahmyr Gibbs and the Detroit Lions couldn’t remain perfect in Week 2, falling to 1-1 on the 2026 NFL season after a 41-31 loss to Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills on “Thursday Night Football.” The Lions were coming off a 31-30 win over Kellen Moore and the New Orleans Saints in Week 1, a game where Gibbs tallied 29 carries for 156 yards and two touchdowns.

With 11:18 remaining in the third quarter of Detroit’s win over New Orleans, Gibbs and the Lions faced a 2nd-and-Goal situation on the Saints’ one-yard line. The former Alabama running back received the ball in the backfield before running to his left, getting into the end zone to increase the Lions’ lead to 14-0.

However, at the end of the play, Gibbs lowered his helmet to lay a hit on a defender, a play that is not allowed in the NFL. But the officials missed a potential illegal use of the helmet call, allowing the touchdown to stand.

Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (0).Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

Despite the no-call, the NFL still took the time to review Gibbs’ play for a potential fine, as it does with all plays throughout the season. And per the NFL rulebook, an “impermissible use of the helmet is when a player “lowers his head and makes forcible contact with his helmet against an opponent,” or “uses any part of his helmet or facemask to butt or make forcible contact to an opponent’s head or neck.”

NFL players can be fined up to $23,882 for a first impermissible use of the helmet penalty, which can increase to $47,762 upon a second violation. And on Saturday, the NFL revealed that Gibbs has been fined $23,027 for his illegal helmet use against the Saints.

No other players from the Week 1 matchup between the Lions and Saints were fined. And the only other two fines for use of the helmet went to Los Angeles Rams linebacker Nate Landman ($11,111) and San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk ($20,033).

“Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs was fined $23,027 for use of the helmet on this play,” NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo wrote on X. “He was not flagged.”

#Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs was fined $23,027 for use of the helmet on this play. He was not flagged. pic.twitter.com/SyadclKrg9
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) September 19, 2026