NFL fans were left baffled when Marlon Humphrey got slapped with a whopping $45,020 fine for a hit on Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen. The play in question here? A textbook tackle in the eyes of some, a wallet-draining penalty according to the league.
The hefty fine has sparked debates about the NFL’s crackdown on defensive players and what truly constitutes a “legal” hit.
Marlon Humphrey’s Hit on Josh Allen Sparks Outrage Among Fans
When Humphrey took down Allen, fans expected hard hits – it’s the NFL, after all. What they didn’t expect was a $45,020 fine slapped on the Baltimore Ravens CB for “unnecessary roughness.” And here’s the kicker: no flag was thrown. Yep, the refs missed it, but the league didn’t.
Fans on social media weren’t exactly quiet about it.
One snapped, “Refs should get a deduction for missed penalties as well.” The lack of accountability from officials is a sore point for many, and this fine only added fuel to the fire.
Refs should get a deduction for missed penalties as well.
— Mark Larson (@MarkLarson28) January 25, 2025
Another commented, “QB’s are about to get destroyed on purpose soon enough. This is outrageous.”
QB’s are about to get destroyed on purpose soon enough. This is outrageous https://t.co/Qu8SOJLsvl
— Sauceless (@Sauceless_E) January 25, 2025
Then came the comparisons. “$45,000 for a helmet hit on a runner but only $15,000 for a hip drop tackle out of bounds? Lol,” a fan chimed in, calling out the NFL’s questionable math on fines.
Another questioned why a hip drop on Lamar Jackson out of bounds didn’t get the same attention. “But nothing on the hip drop tackle on Lamar when he was out of bounds?” the fan quipped.
Here’s where it gets messy: Allen was scrambling, essentially becoming a runner – a gray area for defenders. No flag suggested it was clean. But the league, in hindsight, decided otherwise, leaving fans debating whether the NFL’s “safety first” mantra is overreaching.
While Humphrey’s wallet feels the sting, fans are left wondering if the league’s fines come with a dartboard. As one supporter summed it up: “The league continues to do tricks on it for Josh Allen.”
In the end, this fine isn’t just about a hit. It’s about trust, consistency, and the ever-blurring line between protecting players and keeping the game’s edge. For now, Humphrey’s $45K hit will remain one of the season’s most polarizing moments.