NEW YORK — The NFL has fined the New Orleans Saints $350,000 and gave additional fines to two coaches and a player for faking an injury during a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a person familiar with the penalty told The Associated Press on Saturday.
Coach Dennis Allen received a $100,000 fine, co-defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen was fined $50,000 and defensive end Cameron Jordan was fined $50,000 for the delay in the fourth quarter of the Buccaneers’ 17-16 comeback win Monday night, according to the person, who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the league does not announce fines.
Pro Football Talk was first to report the fines.
The Saints denied purposefully delaying the game in Tampa, describing medical attention Jordan sought before and afterward, and said they planned to appeal the fines.
Jordan expressed his displeasure with the fine on Twitter: “Most expensive fine to date from the NFL came in yesterday… added stressor for no reason.”
In another tweet, he said: “Are fines made by nfl open to public? I just feel like this should be public knowledge. ‘Cause some of the fines are silly but this 1… ridiculous. Anyways & for what a ‘deliberate action to delay game’ before a tm punts? …”
Jordan’s agent, Doug Hendrickson, posted on Twitter that he plans to appeal.
“We are appealing the idiotic fine by NFL what a joke – camjordan94 more details to follow… ,” Hendrickson wrote.
In a memo sent to teams on Dec. 2 and obtained by the AP, the NFL said the league “continues to emphasize the importance of upholding the integrity of the game and competitive fairness as our highest priority. We have observed multiple instances of clubs making a deliberate attempt to stop play unnecessarily this season.”
In their statement denying the NFL’s assertion, the Saints detailed Jordan’s injury:
“Defensive end Cameron Jordan felt foot pain following a third down play and sought medical attention,” the team said. “He entered the blue medical tent and was examined by the medical staff and following the examination he was taped and able to finish the game. He 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.”
A Week 14 bye gives the Saints (4-9) a brief reprieve before they try to avoid their first 10-loss season since 2005. New Orleans remains mathematically alive in the NFC South but traila Tampa Bay by 2 1/2 games with four to play.
