Due to recent game day scuffles on the field, the NFL issued a memo this week to teams cautioning against fights and altercations before and during games.
The memo partially read, “NFL football deeply values sportsmanship and respect, and fighting conflicts with these principles.”
The NFL emphasized its commitment to “strongly enforce” its game day rules on fighting. They reminded teams that they must warm up within their own 45-yard lines before the game starts. The NFL warned that any breaching of this policy may lead to potential punishments for the team or individual players.
The memo cautioned that players or team staff who participate in fights may face potential disqualification, fines, and/or suspension. It also stated that clubs could lose draft picks and/or incur hefty fines if their players or staff are involved in a brawl.
The league also stated that it will persist in examining video footage for potential violations of its fighting policies.
Examples of recent fighting on game days include the Browns and 49ers scuffling before their Week 6 contest in Cleveland; a third-quarter back-and-forth between the Giants and Bills during Sunday Night Football; and altercations between Odell Beckham and Jeffery Simmons during last week’s Ravens-Titans game in London. Four players from the New York-Buffalo fight were each fined $10,927 for unnecessary roughness, while Beckham was fined $33,317 and Simmons was fined $11,473 for similar violations, NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero reported Saturday.
