The officiating was atrocious and one-sided in a Christmas Day game between the New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles, and many expected the Giants to receive some apologies and acknowledgments from the league.
As it turns out, the Giants did receive some FedEx packages from the NFL this week. However, they weren’t the anticipated “our bad” letters.
Instead, several Giants were fined for various “infections” throughout the game. The most egregious was a $21,855 unnecessary roughness fine levied against running back Saquon Barkley for simply doing his job.
Giants RB Saquon Barkley was fined $21,855 for unnecessary roughness on this play, apparently for lowering his helmet as he drove into Eagles LB Shaq Leonard. NFL is working hard to discourage ball-carriers from doing this. These are tough fines to stomach, though. Fine line… pic.twitter.com/MvpRNqDHrD
— Pat Leonard (@PLeonardNYDN) December 30, 2023
We call that theft, ladies and gentlemen. The NFL reached into Barkley’s wallet and stole 21 grand from him.
Barkley will almost certainly appeal that fine and win, similar to Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs earlier this year.
Meanwhile, safety Dane Belton was also fined $5,923 for unnecessary roughness. Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts ($16,391) and safety Sydney Brown ($5,807) were similarly fined — Hurts for an attempted horsecollar tackle on cornerback Adoree’ Jackson at the tail-end of his pick-6.
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