The NFL fined multiple players for their role in last week’s fight between the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, sparked by some shoving between Buccaneers running back Leonard Fournette and Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore — which was escalated by a cheap shot from Tampa Bay wide receiver Mike Evans, who got himself and Lattimore thrown out of the game. Evans was suspended for this week’s Bucs game with the Green Bay Packers.
Both Fournette and Lattimore lost $13,367 for their roles in the fracas. Fournette is earning $117,647 a week in base salary, while Lattimore is making $60,882 after restructuring his contract earlier this year. Both players still received tidy payouts in the form of signing bonuses, but this is still a hit to their wallet. Lattimore was ejected, like Evans, but he was not suspended like the Buccaneers wideout. Evans is ineligible to play this week and must forfeit his entire $62,222 weekly game check.
Additionally, two Buccaneers defenders were also fined for personal fouls during the game: cornerback Carlton Davis lost $13,261 for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, while linebacker Devin White lost $11,139 for an unnecessary roughness foul. Davis signed an extension earlier this year that brings in $264,705 in base salary each week, so he’s still doing well for himself. White is still playing on a rookie contract that brings home just $29,117 each week, so this is a big hit for him.
What about the other Tampa Bay instigators? Quarterback Tom Brady started the whole mess by chasing Lattimore down after the play to talk trash, and former Buccaneers coach/sideline mascot Bruce Arians was spotted goading Evans into attacking Lattimore in the moments before the fight. Brady was not fined at all, but Arians reportedly received a strongly-worded letter from the NFL office in New York threatening such action if he continues to be a problem. Hopefully everyone can move on from this and focus on the next game up.
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