The NFL (and in particular the Philadelphia Eagles) have had a major issue with violence rolling over off of the field this season. Last week, for example, wide receiver AJ Brown started a scuffle on the sideline with backup Seahawks offensive lineman Joey Hunt. Brown went essentially unpunished while Hunt was fined $1,610 for the incident. Clearly the NFL is trying to punish the people off the field rather than control their personnel on the field.
Seahawks’ practice squad offensive lineman Joey Hunt, whom Joe Buck referred to as a Seattle “staff member” Monday night when he got into a sideline incident with A.J. Brown, was fined $1,610 by the NFL for unsportsmanlike conduct, per a source.
The Seahawks enjoyed the fact… pic.twitter.com/4Jq8YvNDut
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 22, 2023
NFL Upholds Suspension of Eagles Staffer
The more egregious incident was the two weeks prior to that when Dre Greenlaw initiated an incident with Dom ‘Big Dom’ DiSandro on the Philadelphia sideline. While Greenlaw was fined $10,927 for the initial unnecessary roughness penalty that triggered the event, Big Dom was hammered by the NFL. The head of Philadelphia security was suspended for the remainder of the NFL season from standing on the sideline. He was also given a $100,000 dollar fine.
It’s important for all of us to remember: for a player who makes $800,000 per year minimum, a $100,000 fine isn’t that substantial. When you’re a regular middle class employee simply trying to make a living, that’s essentially a life sentence of financial hardship. Fortunately for DiSandro, the Philadelphia organization paid his fine but the principle still remains that he suffered a far more substantive penalty that Greenlaw.
I’m told the NFL has denied Eagles security chief Dom DiSandro’s appeal of a $100,000 fine for his role in a sideline scuffle with 49ers LB Dre Greenlaw on Dec. 3. Previously reported DiSandro got banned from the sideline for 5 games.
— Rob Maaddi (@RobMaaddi) December 22, 2023
The scuffle between the two lead to the NFL sending out a memo forbidding any sideline personnel from interacting with players on the field. Considering that DiSandro was simply defending his player who had been suplexed of the field by Greenlaw, the memo was somewhat farcical.
It has been reported that Greenlaw and DiSandro made amends following the incident with Big Dom even calling the 49ers linebacker “a genuine guy”. The league shouldn’t have maintained the penalty given no real consequence came from the action.
The NFL has a bad reputation for acting more out of self interest than in the interest of safety and this may be another example. While Greenlaw was substantially more at fault for the incident, DiSandro was scapegoated and made an example of for interfering most likely due to the fear of legal retribution if he were to be harmed in the incident. DiSandro will be allowed to retake the field once Philadelphia makes it to the postseason and will most likely receive a hearty welcome home.
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