The NFL fined Bears cornerback Tyyrique Stevenson nearly $20,000 for his involvement in an incident during the Thanksgiving Day game between the Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears.
The fine stems from a personal foul penalty called against Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams in Week 13.
On Saturday, the NFL released its Game day Accountability fines, which included Stevenson’s penalty for the altercation.
During the play in question, Williams was put in motion by the Lions before quarterback Jared Goff
threw him a pass in the flat.
After making the catch, Williams ran along the Bears’ sideline before being pushed out of bounds.
As Williams was near the sideline, Stevenson, who wasn’t involved in the play, extended his leg and tripped him. Williams, frustrated, threw the ball toward Stevenson as he made his way back onto the field, hitting him in the face. As a result, Williams was flagged for a personal foul penalty.
The NFL later shared a video clip showing Stevenson’s actions, and additional still shots from the All-22 camera angle clearly show the moment Stevenson’s foot extended to trip Williams both before and after he crossed Stevenson’s path.
Although Williams wasn’t fined—since he didn’t initiate the altercation—his reaction of throwing the ball at Stevenson warranted the personal foul penalty.
Williams later apologized to his team for his response to the situation.
The fine for Stevenson reflects the NFL’s stance on player accountability, even in situations where the foul was not directly related to the game’s play, but more to a frustrated reaction during a post-play exchange.