Jaguars fined more than $40K for illegal hits in game against Steelers in Week 11

It may be almost a week since the Jacksonville Jaguars lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers, but the cost of that game is still being felt by some of their players. After the NFL announced the fines for Week 11, it would appear three of the Jaguars’ defenders are a bit lighter in the wallet as a result of their illegal hits last Sunday.

Defensive end Calais Campbell earned himself the largest fine of the week for his roughing the passer penalty on Ben Roethlisberger that nullified an interception at the time and he is now $20,054 worse off as a consequence.

As surprised as Campbell seems to have been by the penalty, he is even more shocked by the fine and it would appear he has every intention of appealing it.

In his defense, while falling on a quarterback has become a popular penalty for referees to call this year, there can be little question the flag was undeserved in this instance and a fine is rather unnecessary.

However, the same cannot be said of the unnecessary-roughness penalties that were appropriately called on linebacker Telvin Smith for a late hit on James Conner and defensive end Yannick Ngakoue for a blow to the head of Jesse James. Both players can have no complaints about their matching $10,026 fines.

While Smith was charged for his hit on Conner, he might consider himself lucky he escaped punishment for what appeared to be a targeted blow to the head of JuJu Smith-Schuster.

The Steelers have not seen a player fined since T.J. Watt was similarly charged $20,054 for a even more dubious roughing the passer penalty on Matt Ryan in Week 5. And if Watt could not get that one overturned on appeal, Campbell has no chance.