J.J. Watt Blasts NFL for ‘Stealing Money’ From Lions star

J.J. Watt expressed dissatisfaction with the NFL’s decision to fine Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown. The league imposed a $43,709 fine on St. Brown for a block he executed during the team’s Week 11 victory over the Chicago Bears. Although it was the largest fine of that week, there was considerable controversy surrounding it, as St. Brown’s contact in the play was minimal.

Shortly after the penalty announcement, Watt took to social media, criticizing the league for what he perceived as unjustly taking money from the Lions receiver. Watt shared a video of St. Brown’s hit and emphasized the difficulty in identifying any wrongdoing. The NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero highlighted that the league is intensifying enforcement against players who lower their heads when initiating contact with defenders.

Watt wrote on social media, “Here we go again… General rule of thumb: If you have to watch the video multiple times to try figuring out which person did something wrong and you still can’t figure it out, we probably shouldn’t be taking $43,709 from someone. This. Is. Stealing. Money.”

Here we go again…

General rule of thumb:
If you have to watch the video multiple times to try figuring out which person did something wrong and you still can’t figure it out, we probably shouldn’t be taking $43,709 from someone.

This. Is. Stealing. Money.

🤦🏼‍♂️ https://t.co/zuv45Lzj8t

— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) November 26, 2023

St. Brown also chimed in on social media, sharing Pelissero’s post with the caption: “Almost 5% of my salary. I’m hurting.” Commenting on the fine, Jeremy Reisman of SB Nation’s Pride of Detroit acknowledged that, whether sarcastic or not, St. Brown’s comment reflects a larger issue, particularly for players on rookie contracts who may not secure massive extensions. The fines, though seemingly insignificant in the long run, matter for such players.

Despite a challenging Thanksgiving loss to the Green Bay Packers, Lions head coach Dan Campbell remains focused on the future, emphasizing that the team is not entering “panic mode.” Campbell expressed confidence in the team’s ability to bounce back, acknowledging the upcoming challenges and emphasizing the need for a determined and resilient approach in the remaining six games of the season.