Stat of the Jay: Who Were the Most Fined Players, Teams in 2024?

Sep 15, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (1) is restrained by quarterback Joe Burrow (9) while talking to referee Alex Kemp (55) during the second half against the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
Sep 15, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (1) is restrained by quarterback Joe Burrow (9) while talking to referee Alex Kemp (55) during the second half against the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images / Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

CINCINNATI – The NFL handed out 24 fines for rules violations in the Week 18 games, including two against Cincinnati Bengals players.

With the regular season completed and all discipline handed out, let’s take a look at which teams and players were the worst offenders.

It’s important to point out that the league does not alter its initial listing of fines each week to remove fines that were rescinded after an appear hearing.

At least three Bengals players won appeals of their fines this season, including Andrei Iosivas in Week 2, Chase Brown in Week 14 and Cam Taylor-Britt in Week 15.

The NFL handed out 456 fines totaling $5,254,953 this season.

It’s unclear how many resulted in successful appeals, so the following numbers will be based solely on the original discipline measures by the league.

The Bengals finished with 11 fines, which was tied for 24th in the league.

Four of the top six violators made the playoffs.

The Houton Texans led all teams with 23 fines, followed by the Denver Broncos (21), Detroit Lions, Miami Dolphins (20), New Orleans Saints (20) and Kansas City Chiefs (19).

But three of the five least fined teams also made the postseason.

The Green Bay Packers had the fewest with six, followed by the Washington Commanders (seven), Minnesota Vikings (eight), Indianapolis Colts (eight) and Tennessee Titans (nine).

The three worst offenders among players play for playoff teams.

Lions safety Brian Branch was fined a league-high seven times, and all of them were for exactly $10,128.

Branch was fined twice in Week 3, once for striking/kicking/kneeling and once for illegal use of helmet.

He was fined twice in Week 9, one for obscene gestures and once for a hit on a defenseless player.

In Week 10, it was a hip-drop tackle. In Week 15, taunting. And in Week 17, it was illegal use of helmet again.

Philadelphia Eagles safety Chaunce Gardner-Johnson and Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens each received six fines.

Half of Pickens’ came in games against the Bengals – fines of $10,231 for taunting and violent gesture in the Week 13 game at Paycor Stadium, and one for $22,511 for a facemask in Week 8.

Pickens’ six fines cost him a total of $80,317.

Gardner-Johnson received three of his six fines in the same game in Week 3 – $11,255 for a late hit and a pair of taunting penalties for $16,883 each.

He also had an $11,255 taunting fine the prior week. And in Week 16, Gardner-Johnson got two taunting penalties for $22,511 each.

Five taunting penalties in a season likely is an NFL record.

Gardner-Johnson lost a total of $101,298 in fines.

Tied for fourth among frequent offenders were Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby (four, including one against the Bengals) and New England Patriots defensive end Keion White (four).

There were nine fines of more than $25,000, including one given to Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase, whose appeal was unsuccessful.

There also was a one-game suspension for Los Angeles Chargers safety Derwin James, which cost him $708,333 in lost salary.

Here are the largest fines of the season. The top seven were all for illegal use of helmet, with five of those coming against running backs.

$66,000 – Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Denzel Perryman

$45,020 – Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs

$45,020 – Kansas City Chiefs running back Isaiah Pacheco

$45,020 – Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley

$45,020 – Seattle Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet

$45,020 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Rachad White

$45,020 – New York Jets linebacker Quincy Williams

$31,599 – Chase for verbal abuse of an official in Week 2 at Kansas City.

$28,139 – White for a horse-collar tackle.

How do all of those numbers compare to last year?

In 2023, the first year the league began publicly announcing fines, the league issued 411 fines. The 456 this year was a 21.3 percent increase.

The composite amount of the fines in 2023 was $5,338,778, which means this year's amount of $5,254,953 was a 1.6 percent decrease.

Three players led the league with five each last year – Pittsburgh Steelers safety Damontae Kazee, Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf and Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Ed Oliver.

Pittsburgh running back Jaylen Warren lost the most money to fines with $97,112.

The Steelers led the league with 25 fines, and no one else was close. Seattle was second with 16, followed by Baltimore (15) and Buffalo (15).

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Published
Jay Morrison
JAY MORRISON

Jay Morrison covers the Cincinnati Bengals for Bengals On SI. He has been writing about the NFL for nearly three decades. Combining a passion for stats and storytelling, Jay takes readers beyond the field for a unique look at the game and the people who play it. Prior to joining Bengals on SI, Jay covered the Cincinnati Bengals beat for The Athletic, the Dayton Daily News and Pro Football Network.