Steelers’ T.J. Watt Will Appeal Fine from Ravens Win

Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt will at least one fine he received against the Baltimore Ravens in the team’s Week 5 victory, he said on the Dan Patrick Show on Tuesday. Watt got nailed for two separate plays, one where he took his helmet off to celebrate the game-winning sack and the second for unnecessary roughness, where he punched receiver Zay Flowers while trying to knock out a loose ball. He will appeal his fine for taking his helmet off and did not say if he would appeal the fine for unnecessary roughness on Flowers.

“We’re going to try to appeal. I wasn’t trying to be malicious,” Watt said. “I wasn’t taunting at someone. It was fourth down and at the end of the game. I took my helmet off and I understand, it probably wasn’t a whole lot of safety risk because technically the game was over at that point.”

His most costly fine of the week is $13,659 for taking his helmet off. 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.

However, Sneed was not called for a penalty on the field like Watt. Still, that is something that the NFL is cracking down on this year in their fines, which is why Watt and Sneed both received hefty fines. Watt’s penalty occurred after the play, so it did not result in a first down for the Ravens.

The second play was the punch of Flowers. Watt was fined $11,473 for that play. 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, Watt punches to knock the ball out, and he is successful. However, the NFL deemed that to be unnecessary roughness and fined Watt. That play was not called a penalty for unnecessary roughness on the field.

Watt is the only player from either team who was fined. 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.