Steelers LB Has Huge Fine Retracted for Big Hit

Steelers linebacker Kwon Alexander had a huge fine retracted for a helmet-to-helmet hit against the Buccaneers in the preseason, Adam Schefter of ESPN reported. Alexander appealed his fine from the hit and won.

At first, Alexander was fined $43,709 for his hit with the crown of the helmet against the Bucs. 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 with the New York Jets in 2023.

When it happened, Steelers defensive coordinator Teryl Austin agreed with the call on the field, citing the rules and how Alexander dropped his head right into Buccaneers running back Chase Edmonds.

“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.”

The Steelers were the most-fined team in the NFL in 2022, racking up $196,480 in supplementary discipline. However, this is one where they did not lose the appeal. It seemed like a bang-bang play at the time, and NFL agrees that it was not a hit that required a fine.

The Steelers signed Alexander after the start of training camp to a one-year contract worth a total of $1.3175 million. Coming in with the team during training camp, Alexander has turned himself into a key contributor over the team’s first two games of the season.