The New Orleans Saints, two of their coaches and defensive end Cameron Jordan were fined a total of $550,000 by the NFL for allegedly delaying gameplay by faking an injury.
The Saints have denied any wrongdoing and are appealing the fines.
The incident in question occurred in the fourth quarter of the Saints' 17-16 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday. Jordan took a knee and pointed to his left foot, forcing Tom Brady and the Buccaneers' offense to pause before a fourth-and-10 play. After the delay, Tampa Bay chose to punt.
The league alleges Jordan faked an injury to prevent the Buccaneers from snapping the ball, levying fines of $50,000 each to Jordan and defensive line coach Ryan Nielsen. Saints head coach Dennis Allen was fined $100,000, while the organisation faces a bill of $350,000.
"The New Orleans Saints deny any allegations of purposefully delaying the game on Monday evening," the team said in a statement on Saturday.
The statement goes on to explain that Jordan had his foot examined and taped before he finished the game.
"[Jordan] had an MRI performed the following day in New Orleans and was confirmed that he suffered an acute mid-foot sprain in his left foot. He has been at the facility each day receiving treatment for his injury he suffered on the play.
"The Saints will appeal the fines through the proper channels and believe the allegations will be proved incorrect."
All 32 teams were sent a memo on December 2 reminding them of rules prohibiting taking advantage of a stoppage in play, according to NFL.com.
Cincinnati Bengals safety Jessie Bates is also appealing a fine of $50,000 for a similar alleged infraction during last Sunday's 27-24 win over the Kansas City Chiefs.
Jordan called the fines “ridiculous” on Twitter and expressed his cynicism with the NFL’s process for enforcement.
"Are fines made by nfl open to public? I just feel like this should be public knowledge," Jordan's tweet read. "Cause some of the fines are silly but this [one]… ridiculous. Anyways & for what a 'deliberate action to delay game' before a [team] punts?"
Star NFL tight end Kelce reportedly agrees to two-year extension with Chiefs
Travis Kelce has been instrumental to the Chiefs' success over the past few seasons and will remain in Kansas City for the next few seasons.
The four-time All-Pro tight end and the Chiefs have agreed to a two-year contract extension, according to NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport.
Terms of the extension were not disclosed, but Rapoport reported Monday that the deal will make him the NFL's highest-paid tight end.
Kelce is currently under contract through 2025, so the new deal will keep him in Kansas City through 2027 after his age-37 season.
The 34-year-old Kelce is Kansas City's all-time leader in receiving yards with 11,328 yards, while ranking second in receptions (907) and second in receiving touchdowns (74). He is just 10 catches away from passing Tony Gonzalez as the franchise's all-time leader in receptions and three TD catches away from surpassing Gonzalez's record in that category.
A third-round pick by the Chiefs in 2013, Kelce saw his NFL record streak for a tight end of consecutive seasons with at least 1,000 receiving yards end at seven in 2023, when he finished with a team-high 984 yards. His 93 receptions were also the most on the Chiefs, and he had five touchdown grabs.
It may have been a down season by his standards, but he was still named to his ninth Pro Bowl team and once again produced in the play-offs.
In helping Kansas City defend its Super Bowl title and secure its third Lombardi Trophy in the last five seasons, Kelce caught 32 passes for 355 yards with three touchdowns in four play-off games. In the Chiefs' 25-22 overtime win over the San Francisco 49ers in February's Super Bowl, Kelce had nine receptions for 93 yards,
In addition to being one of the most prolific tight ends in NFL history and a core member of the Chiefs' recent dynasty, Kelce has gained enormous popularity in the last year due to his relationship to pop icon Taylor Swift.
Three-time Pro Bowl running back Elliott rejoining Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are bringing back two-time NFL rushing champion Ezekiel Elliott after the sides agreed to terms on a deal Monday.
Dallas selected Elliott with the fourth overall pick of the 2016 NFL Draft out of Ohio State, and he won the NFL rushing title as a rookie (1,631 yards) and again in 2018 (1,434).
After a contract holdout prior to the 2019 campaign, Elliott landed a $90million, six-year extension and wound up rushing for 1,357 yards that season.
He only surpassed 1,000 yards on the ground once from 2020-22 before being released in March 2023 and signing a one-year contract with the New England Patriots.
Elliott ranks third in Dallas franchise history with 8,262 rushing yards behind all-time NFL rushing leader Emmitt Smith (17,162) and Tony Dorsett (12,036).
He is also third in team history with 68 rushing touchdowns behind Pro Football Hall of Famers Smith (153) and Dorsett (72).
Elliott, who will turn 29 years old in July, ran for 642 yards and three touchdowns in 17 games with New England last season.
Tony Pollard led Dallas in 2023 with 1,005 rushing yards before signing with the Tennessee Titans in March.
Texans wide receiver Dell shot, suffers minor wound
Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell was shot as an innocent bystander and sustained a minor wound outside a nightclub in Samford, Florida on Saturday night.
The team said Dell has already been released from the hospital and is “in good spirits.”
A total of 10 people were wounded in the shooting, but all the injuries are non-life threatening.
Houston selected Dell in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft, and the Daytona Beach, Florida native had 47 catches for 709 yards and seven touchdowns in 11 games last season.
Dell did not play after Week 13 due to a fractured fibula.
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