On Saturday, the NFL announced it has fined San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk $16,619 for unnecessary roughness (use of helmet) during the first quarter of last Sunday's season-ending loss to the Arizona Cardinals. This was the second time Juszczyk was fined during the 2024 season. On November 16, Juszczyk was fined $11,817 for a low block that went uncalled during a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The bigger story, and perhaps the bigger surprise, was that the NFL did not fine WR Jauan Jennings, who was ejected from the Arizona game during the second quarter after being called for his second personal foul penalty. Jennings was only 25 yards shy of gaining 1,000 receiving yards on the season.
Jennings was called for unnecessary roughness on back-to-back plays following a scuffle with a couple of Cardinals defensive backs who seemed to take exception to Jennings blocking them through the whistle on two run plays. Jennings is known to be a physical blocker who often riles up defenders.
After the game, Jennings and head coach Kyle Shanahan seemed confused about why the receiver was disqualified. "I know Jauan blocks through the whistle on every single play," Shanahan said. "I know you usually get ejected for throwing a punch. I didn't see one, and he didn't tell me that he threw a punch, so that is something we're going to have to find out. It wasn't animated; I was just asking him if he ever threw a punch, and he was adamant that he didn't. I was like, that's what I saw, so I was surprised he got ejected."
Some believe the Cardinals defenders targeted Jennings to get him kicked out of the game. The first incident involved Jennings and cornerback Starling Thomas, resulting in offsetting penalties, when Jennings blocked Thomas out of the end zone, putting the defender on his back. The second occurred when the 49ers receiver got physical with cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting. Murphy-Bunting was also ejected.
The NFL seemingly agrees with Jennings and Shanahan that the receiver did nothing to warrant his ejection. While Jennings was not fined, Thomas ($5,083) and Murphy-Bunting ($11,817) were. This is the NFL's way of admitting they got it wrong during the game.
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