NFL Fines Dallas Cowboys CeeDee Lamb $22K For Helmet Hit

The NFL isn’t messing around. In the past few years, the league has cracked down on players using their helmets in improper ways. Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb is the latest offensive player to receive a fine. On Saturday, the league announced a bunch of fines from week 3 and Lamb was one of them. He was fined just over $22,000 for a play in their game against the Baltimore Ravens.

Dallas Cowboys CeeDee Lamb Fined

The play in question happened at the end of the first quarter. The Dallas Cowboys were driving inside their opponent’s 30-yard line. Dak Prescott hit CeeDee Lamb on a slant route, and at the end of the play, he lowered his head into the chest of Ravens’ safety Kyle Hamilton. The play did not result in a flag during the game. However, the NFL reviews every game and can hand out fines after the fact. Lamb and Packers running back Josh Jacobs were the offensive players who received fines in week 3.

According to the NFL’s fine schedule for impermissible use of the helmet/launching, it is a $22,511 fine for a first offense. The Cowboys receiver has not been guilty of this in the past, so the league fined him accordingly. Lamb can appeal the decision, though he may decide to pay the fine and move on. This fine caused some outrage among fans when it was announced, as the play doesn’t seem dirty in any way.

Why It Was Fined

This type of fine will draw criticism from fans. These types of plays happen in a game all the time. Offensive players try to get extra yards by lowering their heads. The NFL is trying to stop them from doing so. The increased awareness of player safety has caused the NFL to try and eliminate all uses of the helmet as an initiator of contact. However, at some point, players will have to realize that football is a violent sport and may result in lasting injuries.

Given the contract CeeDee Lamb just signed, this fine is unlikely to bother the Dallas Cowboys superstar. However, this situation will be talked about this weekend. Five years ago, this was a normal football play. Now, players are being fined. Retraining players is difficult, especially since they have played football for over a decade. While the NFL should care about player safety, there are other ways to go about that rather than fining players for playing the game. The Cowboys are off tomorrow because of their game against the Giants on Thursday.