The NFL has fined Seattle Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams $11,255.00 and safety Julian Love $11,817.00 for unnecessary roughness during their Week 6 matchup with the San Francisco 49ers.
Williams was penalized in the fourth quarter for grabbing a 49ers offensive lineman’s facemask. It was controversial because the play was whistled dead for a false start. Here’s what referee Craig Wrolstad had to say about it after the game.
“So we had a false start called by the line judge,” Wrolstad said. “And as he was coming in to kill the play – obviously it’s loud in the stadium – so the snap got off and players started playing like the play was live. And in the ensuing action, number 99 grabbed a San Francisco player’s facemask – grabbed and pulled it. And in these situations where we’re trying to shut it down and action accrues, there’s a personal foul that follows that first penalty, we’re required to throw a flag and enforce the penalty. And in this situation it’s called a ‘5-15 penalty.’ And so, the five-yard false start is a simple five and then that’s disregarded and only by rule, only the personal foul 15-yard penalty is enforced.”
That’s definitely an odd and pretty unknown rule, but a rule nonetheless. Still, it’s not like Williams grabbed the facemask on purpose or with ill-intent. It’s going to naturally happen by accident at times, especially for defensive lineman, making it a questionable thing to receive a fine for.
Williams had a great game against San Francisco otherwise, recording four tackles – one for loss – and two quarterback pressures. He is a 10-year NFL veteran who signed a three-year, $64.5 million contract extension with Seattle during the offseason.
As for Love, his fine was for a low block on 49ers’ offensive tackle Trent Williams. Williams ran out to the perimeter to block on a running play, and Love came in and hit Williams at the knees. Even though the officials didn’t catch it, the NFL is going to fine a player for a low hit every time.
Love also signed a three-year contract extension with the Seahawks this past offseason, his for $36 million. He was named to the Pro Bowl last season and is one of the more underrated safeties in the league.
As the case with Leonard Williams, Love likely wasn’t trying to commit a dirty play, rather just made a poor split-second reaction. When guys are flying at full speed, there isn’t always time to think. Both Love and Williams will put these incidents behind them and continue to play at a high level as the 3-3 Seahawks look to capture the NFC West title.
