As if it wasn’t painful enough that the Los Angeles Rams were knocked out of the playoffs by the Philadelphia Eagles in the divisional round, two players were fined by the NFL for hits in that game.
According to Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports Philadelphia, Ahkello Witherspoon was fined $6,722 for his hit on DeVonta Smith, which was flagged for unnecessary roughness. Witherspoon hit Smith in the helmet on a deep pass over the middle, drawing a 15-yard penalty.
Michael Hoecht was also fined $11,255 for a late hit on Saquon Barkley in the second quarter. Hoecht wasn’t penalized in the game so it’s unclear exactly when that late hit occurred.
Two Rams were fined for unnecessary roughness vs. Eagles in the divisional round:
• Ahkello Witherspoon was fined $6,722 for a hit on a defenseless player for his hit on DeVonta Smith in the 1st.
• Michael Hoecht was fined $11,255 for a late hit on Saquon Barkley in the 2nd.
— Dave Zangaro (@DZangaroNBCS) January 25, 2025