Denver Broncos safety P.J. Locke’s hit on Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Calvin Austin III in Week 2 proved to be a costly play.
Locke was penalized for unnecessary roughness after his hit on a defenseless receiver, then the safety slammed his helmet on the ground in frustration. After the penalty and outburst, Locke got an earful from Broncos coach Sean Payton on the sideline.
Now the NFL’s also letting him hear it in the form of fines.
Yes, plural fines — Locke was fined $13,972 for the hit (unnecessary roughness) and another $13,972 for removing his helmet (unsportsmanlike conduct), according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
P.J. Locke took off his helmet and slammed it down on the field. This apparently didn't warrant a penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct. pic.twitter.com/gqCrJmHStR
— Tommy Jaggi (@TommyJaggi) September 16, 2024
That’s a total of $27,944 worth of fines for Locke in Week 2.
Broncos center Luke Wattenberg was also fined $5,872 for a blindside block against the Steelers, an unnecessary roughness offense that was not penalized during the game. The NFL handed down that fine after reviewing Sunday’s film.
Last week, Denver safety Brandon Jones was fined $11,255 for unnecessary roughness and pass rusher Nik Bonitto was fined $8,791 for a roughing the passer penalty. Through two games this season, Broncos players have been fined a total of $53,862.
