The NFL penalized Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Kwon Alexander over a hard tackle during an August 11 preseason matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
During the first quarter of the Bucs-Steelers contest, Alexander sent Buccaneers running back Chase Edmonds to the ground with a hard hit. The officials flagged Alexander with unnecessary roughness for lowering his head to make forcible contact with Edmonds. The NFL has since fined Alexander $43,709 for the tackle.
The hefty fine is in part due to Alexander’s status as a repeat offender. Alexander was also fined for the same offense when he played for the New York Jets last season.
The NFL fined #Steelers LB Kwon Alexander $43,709 for unnecessary roughness in last week’s preseason game against Tampa Bay.
These types of hits with the head lowered are a point of emphasis this season. Alexander was fined for the same offense in 2022.pic.twitter.com/hY9en1qB4R
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) August 19, 2023
Alexander signed a 1-year, $1.3 million contract with the Steelers in July. The 1-time Pro Bowler played in all 17 games for the Jets last season. He finished with 69 combined tackles and 0.5 sacks.
The NFL has made helmet safety an emphasis going into the 2023 season. The league now has additional rules in place to penalize such hits during a game. One example is the new 15-yard penalty if a player uses any part of the helmet or face mask to make forcible contact to a player’s head or neck area.
