Steelers ILB Kwon Alexander Blasts NFL, Will Appeal His Fine

Pittsburgh Steelers inside linebacker Kwon Alexander will appeal his $43,709 fine for an unnecessary roughness hit on Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Chase Edmonds in the first week of the preseason, according to Brooke Pryor of ESPN. 

The amount of the fine is determined by it being his second fine for that offense in his career. Alexander was also fined for the same foul while he was with the New York Jets in 2022. However, given the nature of Alexander’s hit, many think it was unjust.

Pat McAfee tweeted, “Vets get paid $3200 a week in preseason. ($43,709) on the week… FOR THAT HIT?!? Yikes.”

Vets get paid $3200 a week in preseason

-$40,509 on the week… FOR THAT HIT?!?

Yikes https://t.co/JrOhMNv4Nc

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) August 20, 2023

“I can’t do nothing about it. .. You know how the league is nowadays. You can’t even hit too hard right now,” Alexander said. “You barely can touch him. I still just got to play my game. I can’t let that take away from my game. That’s how I play.”

Alexander’s defensive coordinator Teryl Austin agreed with the call, however.

“That’s absolutely a flag,” Austin said. “You drop your head and helmet like that and it’s a flag. That’s what we’ve been told.”

Under NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, the league has taken immense steps to improve player safety, and rightfully so with the billion dollar concussion lawsuits. But football is still a collusion sport and some of the rules implemented put defenders in a bind when trying to make a play at full speed. The NFL rulebook states that “it is a foul if a player lowers his head and makes forcible contact with his helmet against an opponent.”

The Steelers signed Alexander after the start of training camp to a one-year contract worth a total of $1.3175 million. Alexander is a throwback linebacker that loves to lay the hammer. During training camp when Alexander was asked why he waited until two days before players wear pads at practice to sign.

“That’s me, man,” he said. “I ain’t worrying about no 7-on-7, none of that. I put the pads on and I hit. As you can see. You can go watch film.”