Broncos safety T.J. Ward entered the Broncos’ locker room the day before Thanksgiving with a need to get some things off his chest.
It was fueled by a simple question, one that had been asked for the third consecutive week: “Did the NFL fine you T.J.?”
The inquiry sent Ward on a rant. He revealed he wasn’t fined for a fourth-quarter blow to Bears’ quarterback Jay Cutler that officials flagged as a late hit.
But, Ward had been fined three times in the previous two weeks. The most frustrating one was a $5,787 fine for an untucked jersey against Kansas City.
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“They’ll try to get you for anything. I thought I was through with that when I left college,” Broncos cornerback Aqib Talib said about uniform code violations.
Ward’s three-minute monologue included him questioning the use of part-time referees, his frustration with the league and a feeling that he wears a scarlet letter on his jersey.
“I do feel like I get targeted. It’s so inconsistent,” Ward said. “I’ve been wearing my jersey like this my whole career and this is the first time they fine me on it. Why is that?”
NFL players are on pace to be fined their highest total ever. Through last week’s games, 87 players have been fined $2,201,700, according to numbers obtained from Spotrac, an online site that tracks fines and suspensions among, other things, in major U.S. sports leagues.
The league-high in fines, $3,098,696, was set in 2012, after the NFL began cracking down on hits to the quarterback and defenseless receivers. The numbers made a huge leap that year, but in every season since fines have decreased.
“You just hope that if you do get a penalty that the people who review it see what happened, if you got pushed in the back or didn’t hit the quarterback late. Fines are the last thing you want,” Broncos outside linebacker Shaquil Barrett said. “Nobody wants to get fined, but some guys can afford it more. Me, I can’t have that getting taken out of my check.”
Player infractions come to the league’s attention in multiple ways. The NFL could respond directly from a penalized play or a potential violation that an opposing team sends into the league for review.
The NFL officiating department also reviews every game for infractions. It sends potential violations to the football operations compliance team.
Then league staff members review the footage and determine if an infraction is subject for review. Those plays are forwarded to the executive vice president of football operations, Troy Vincent, and the vice president of football operations, Merton Hanks, for the next step of potential discipline.
If Vincent and Hanks decide a fine or suspension is warranted, the player will receive a FedEx letter in his locker, detailing what he did, why he is being fined, and how much the fine will be.
The package also includes a video of the play with instructions on how to appeal the fine.
Fines aren’t cheap.
Barrett, who still is on his rookie contract after being signed as an undrafted free agent in 2014, is grateful that he hasn’t been fined this season. He is well aware of the potential cost. According to Spotrac, his salary is $435,000. His check is $25,588 per week before taxes.
If Barrett were fined for roughing the passer or a horse collar tackle, he would lose $17,363, more than two-thirds of his game check.
Broncos outside linebacker Von Miller said Thursday he was fined $8,681 for a late hit on quarterback Tom Brady in the third quarter of the Broncos’ 30-24 victory over the Patriots on Sunday. Miller was flagged for roughing the passer after leaping on Brady after defensive end Vance Walker sack him.
Miller can afford the fine a lot more easily than Barrett, but that doesn’t make it any easier to swallow.
“They got me. I am going to appeal, though,” Miller said.
Just because no penalty is called in a game, doesn’t mean a player won’t be fined, as Broncos’ defensive end Malik Jackson found out earlier this season.
On a handoff, he ran to the ball carrier, pulling Raiders’ tackle Donald Penn down from behind. Jackson said he didn’t think anything of it initially and was shocked that he was fined for a horse collar tackle.
“You have to be aware of your refs and know who is around you,” Jackson said. “Going at live speed is one thing, but then looking at it on replays, slowing it down looks totally different.”
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Jackson is well-versed with the appeal process. He appealed his fine against Oakland, but did not get it overturned.
There are two appeals officers, James Thrash and Derrick Brooks, former NFL players paid and appointed jointly by the NFL and NFLPA. Once an appeal is requested, Thrash or Brooks will review the infraction and make a decision.
If the appeal is denied, the decision is final and fines will be taken out of the player’s next check.
Much of the player’s outcries are on the close calls, mostly on the defense. Plays that discount the speed of the game and penalize players for not being able to stop on a dime before illegal contact.
“Like T.J.’s hit against T.Y. Hilton, I thought that was perfectly legal. He got the flag and I think he got fined,” Barrett said. “So you never know what they are going to do in that (appeal) process.”
Through last week, Broncos’ players have lost $1,223,749 in fines and suspensions. Players league-wide have lost $20,637,622 via fines and suspensions.
The league and player’s association send the funds to two programs created to benefit former players.
The NFL Player Care Foundation is dedicated to helping retired players improve their quality of life in terms of medical, financial, social and emotional issues. The Gene Upshaw Player Association’s Player Assistance Trust, helps former players going through financial rough streaks or who are looking to finish their undergraduate degree.
No player wants to be fined, but each player signs a form at the beginning of the season stating he understands the code of conduct, violations and fines, even if he doesn’t agree with them.
Many Broncos’ defensive players have accepted fines as part of the territory and refuse to let it change their aggressiveness.
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“That’s like worrying about getting hurt; if you worry about it, it’s going to happen,” Jackson said. “You just gotta worry about balling, smacking some people up, and doing it legally.”
Cameron Wolfe: 303-954-1891, cwolfe@denverpost.com or @CameronWolfe
