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NFL Fines Bears’ Austin Booker $46,371 for Helmet Hit on Jordan Love in Wild-Card Game

The sanction reflects the NFL’s doubled penalty for a repeat helmet-use violation, leaving Booker eligible for the Bears’ divisional game.

Overview

  • The league cited unnecessary roughness for use of the helmet on a second-quarter hit at 9:40 that drew a 15-yard flag against Green Bay’s Jordan Love.
  • At $46,371, the fine was the largest issued across the league this week, according to the NFL’s game-day accountability reports.
  • Booker was not suspended and retains the right to appeal, so he remained available for Chicago’s matchup with the Los Angeles Rams.
  • Under the NFL schedule, a first helmet-tackling offense is fined $23,186 and a subsequent violation in the same season doubles to $46,371.
  • The action follows earlier penalties this season, including two December fines for illegal hits on Love, as the league continues to stress head-injury deterrence.