NFL Fines Steelers OLB T.J. Watt for Punching Zay Flowers

Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt was fined $11,473 for punching Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers in a viral video from Sunday’s victory. On the play, Watt is playing in zone coverage, and Lamar Jackson throws the ball to Flowers between Watt, Patrick Peterson, and Cole Holcomb. Flowers bobbles the ball, and Watt punches to knock the ball out, and he is successful at that. However, the NFL deemed that to be unnecessary roughness and fined Watt.

Update: #Steelers LB T.J. Watt was fined $25,132 for his unnecessary roughness hit on #Ravens Rookie WR Zay Flowers and for taking his helmet off after sacking Lamar Jackson at the end of the game, per @TomPelissero pic.twitter.com/YAj9kYfsoU https://t.co/CGSsAApaUB

— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) October 14, 2023

Watt was fined an additional $13,659 for taking his helmet off following the game-winning sack of Lamar Jackson. That ended up as an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty called on the field. Watt is not the only player fined for taking their helmet off this week, as Chiefs cornerback L’Jarius Sneed was fined the same amount for taking his helmet off against the Detroit Lions.

Watt is the only player who received fines from either team. However, it continues a trend where the Steelers have been heavily fined this season. Linebacker Kwon Alexander is the player who has often been fined throughout the season. In 2022, Pittsburgh led the NFL as the most fined team. They are among the top in the league in that metric yet again, with plenty of fines each week for the team. Watt is just the latest to be hit with that hammer.