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According to the NFL, about $4 million has been raised to assist former players through the NFL Foundation since 2011. ‘Tis the season for giving.
Bo Wulf: Do you have a story of the worst fine you got from the league or one you didn’t think you deserved?
Haason Reddick: Crazy, I’ve never been fined.
Wulf: You’ve never been fined?
Reddick: Never for, like, something I didn’t deserve. I was fined once for a fight, but that was it.
Wulf: Do you know any stories of teammates getting bad ones?
Reddick: I just know a lot of guys get fined for uniform reasons. You know what I’m saying? If they’re not complacent with uniform rules. That’s about it.
Wulf: Do you have a story of the worst fine you’ve gotten from the league or one you didn’t think you deserved?
Javon Hargrave: My rookie year, horse collar.
Wulf: OK.
Hargrave: I had chased down a dude and it was like 40 yards, was just trying to grab on and put my hand on it. Jumped on his legs. And it was a horse collar.
Wulf: That’s what you get for hustling 40 yards downfield.
Hargrave: It was my rookie year too, so I was hurting. I didn’t even know that was a thing. That kind of hurt me.
Wulf: BG, do you have a story of the worst fine you’ve gotten from the league? Or one that pissed you off?
Brandon Graham: Dang! Uh, you know what? Damn, that’s a good one. Who’d I get? I think I got a damn, what’s-his-name fine, but they took it away. A uniform fine. Because something came up. And I’m like, “What?” Like, I can’t control that! Like, that’s part of the game.
Wulf: Like, something came off?
Graham: Something came, I forget what happened. I don’t think I had enough black in my sock or something like that. I think I had a strip of black in my sock and it kind of came off because it was just tape. Big-ass fine, but they took it away.
Wulf: OK.
Graham: It was like, “Man, it’s right there, you see it in the picture.”
Wulf: Curious if you have any stories of a fine from the league that you didn’t deserve or a fine from a teammate that was famous, or anything like that?
James Bradberry: Mmmmmmmmmmmm. I personally haven’t been fined yet.
Wulf: Never? All right, we’ll knock on wood for that.
Bradberry: But I mean I had a teammate fined for — he wasn’t actually mic’d up, but somebody else was mic’d up and he said something.
Wulf: Oh, really?
Bradberry: I can’t really repeat what he said but it was pretty foul.
Wulf: (Laughs) OK.
Bradberry: I can say it involved the other person’s grandmother.
Wulf: Oh, no. And he got fined because it got picked up on the mic?
Bradberry: Picked up on the mic.
Wulf: What are we talking, like $10,000?
Bradberry: Oh, I didn’t even ask him what the amount was. I just remember being amazed that he said that.
Wulf: (Laughs)
Bradberry: I was like, you know what, you probably should have been fined.
Wulf: Have you ever been fined by the league?
DeVonta Smith: Yeah, plenty of times.
Wulf: Plenty of times? (Laughs) What for?
Smith: Socks!
Wulf: All the time?
Smith: Yeah, pretty much every time it’s the socks.
Wulf: OK. And what are we talking, like $10,000?
Smith: Um, I don’t remember honestly.
Wulf: Is it increasing if you’re a repeat offender?
Smith: Yeah, if you’re a repeat offender it’s more.
Wulf: Really? So what’s your reaction when you get that (notice) in the locker?
Smith: Uh, it’s a bunch of bulls—.
Wulf: I think that’s fair.
Smith: Like, socks don’t have nothing to do with the game.
Wulf: Right. And what is it, there’s not a strip of black or something?
Smith: Um, they say my knees are showing. I don’t be having them all the way up.
Wulf: And you get fined because your knees are showing?
Smith: Yeah.
Wulf: You just wanna get some air for those knees. And have you gotten some this year?
Smith: Yeah.
Wulf: I respect that. You do you.
Smith: I mean, it’s not like I’m in the game like, “I need to pull my socks up!” I’m not worrying about my socks in the game.
Wulf: Right. Thank you.
Wulf: Have you ever been fined by the league?
Greg Ward: I don’t think so.
Wulf: That’s good. You’re a rule follower.
Ward: Uh, I am.
Wulf: Have there been teammates who are notorious for it that you’ve been around?
Ward: Not that I know of. I don’t know that I’ve ever been around anybody that likes losing money like that.
Eagles linebacker T.J. Edwards. (Bill Streicher / USA Today)
Wulf: Do you have any stories of, like, the worst fine you’ve got from the league?
T.J. Edwards: Worst fine. I only got one fine and it was my rookie year for my undershirt being too untucked.
Wulf: OK.
Edwards: It was insane. Like, I didn’t even know that was a thing.
Wulf: Do you remember how much it was for? I mean, you’re a rookie on an undrafted contract.
Edwards: It was for like a couple thousand. Which, when I got it, I was like, “Yo. I don’t have any guaranteed money.”
Wulf: Exactly. I’m a rookie, come on.
Edwards: But then you appeal it, and that brought it down a little bit.
Wulf: Oh, that’s good.
Edwards: I think the craziest ones are the uniform infractions. For like socks are too high.
Wulf: DeVonta said he’s gotten several sock ones.
Edwards: Yeah, you’ll get like a warning here and there, but sometimes you get that FedEx right to your chair.
Wulf: And then what is the actual appeal process? Who do you talk to?
Edwards: You gotta go talk to — good thing I forgot his name, I haven’t talked to him in a long time. It might be (Jon) Runyan.
Wulf: Do you do it yourself?
Edwards: No, it’s like a trial.
Wulf: OK.
Edwards: Your agent, you talk about it.
Wulf: Your agent handles it?
Edwards: Yeah. Thank God.
(Author’s note: Here’s how the actual process works)
Wulf: Craziest fine you’ve gotten from the league?
Lane Johnson: My socks were pulled down below my knees. I was wearing them during the game and they fell below my knees.
Wulf: And how much does that cost you?
Johnson: I think it was like five (thousand), but I got it down to a thousand.
Wulf: OK.
Johnson: So now I wear the leggings and the socks.
Wulf: So there’s no way they’ll go down.
Johnson: Yeah.
Wulf: Smart.
Wulf: Do you have any stories of getting fined by the league?
Zach Pascal: Yeah. My socks. I got fined a couple times for my socks. On a Sunday night game.
Wulf: Man. And how much did that cost you?
Pascal: At first it was like, $6,000?
Wulf: Jeez.
Pascal: And then I appealed it and got it to like four or three.
Wulf: And what was wrong with the socks?
Pascal: It was literally like right here (points to below his knee). And I had part of my knee showing on Sunday Night Football.
Wulf: That’s crazy, man.
Pascal: It’s pretty crazy.
Wulf: Have you ever been fined by the league?
Marcus Epps: Uh, yeah.
Wulf: What for?
Epps: Uniform violation.
Wulf: What was it, socks?
Epps: Yeah, it was like, my socks weren’t something. I don’t know.
Wulf: And how much did that cost you?
Epps: To be honest, man, I couldn’t even tell you.
Wulf: Slay, do you have any stories of an unfair fine you’ve gotten from the league?
Darius Slay: Nah, I only got fined from the team. For being late. That’s it.
Wulf: How late were you?
Slay: I don’t do that. That’s, I can’t give them my money. That’s easy money. They don’t take my money.
Wulf: OK. You make sure you got your uniform spot on?
Slay: Uniform gonna be the finest they got. Wear tights. You ain’t gonna see no knees, no nothing.
Wulf: And when did you get the fine for being late?
Slay: I had got a flat tire. Coach still didn’t excuse it, though. But it’s cool.
Wulf: That was in Detroit or here?
Slay: Detroit. I was young though, a rookie.
Wulf: You live and learn.
Slay: I don’t do that. Giving away free cash? They trying to bust you across the dome. Pay for socks? They ain’t gonna get me.
Wulf: Smitty says they’ve got him for socks, like several times.
Slay: Yeah, I ain’t gettin’ that. He ain’t learn yet. We go out there in warmups, you say, “That’s a fine there, Slay.” When I come back out, it ain’t gonna be no fine when I come back out. Come on, man. They already trying to take all the money back.
Wulf: Miles, have you ever gotten an unfair fine from the league?
Miles Sanders: Yeah, my f—in’ socks.
Wulf: Everybody’s getting socks.
Sanders: Fine us for f—in’ socks. It’s stupid.
Wulf: How many times have you gotten socks?
Sanders: Just once. It’s stupid.
Wulf: It is stupid.
Sanders: Tellin’ me I can’t show skin, but I play running back. My socks get rolled out every tackle. That was my rookie year.
Wulf: And it hasn’t happened since?
Sanders: I can’t say it hasn’t happened, but they haven’t fined me.
Wulf: Are you more aware of it since?
Sanders: I can’t control it!
Wulf: You’re running the ball.
Sanders: It’s not something I’m gonna be worried about during the game. If they fine me, they fine me. I’ll appeal it.
Wulf: Did you appeal that first one?
Sanders: Yeah, $6,000. Started at seven.
Wulf: Wild.
Sanders: F—in’ socks.
Wulf: Very quick question.
Rick Lovato: Yeah, what’s up?
Wulf: Have you ever been fined by the league?
Lovato: No. I have not been fined by the league.
Wulf: Fingers crossed.
Lovato: Fingers crossed.
Wulf: Quick question for you.
Linval Joseph: OK.
Wulf: Do you have a story of the most unfair fine you’ve gotten from the league over your career?
Joseph: No, not really. I mean, one time I got fined without actually doing something.
Wulf: OK. What was that?
Joseph: It was against Washington and I think the guy kicked me in my … and I intended to step on him, but like I said, intent. Didn’t do it. Still got fined for it.
Wulf: Oh, you just went like this (lifts leg up), and then you didn’t actually step down? And you still got fined?
Joseph: Yup.
Wulf: OK. Was that when you were with the Giants?
Joseph: Yeah, with the Giants.
Wulf: Brutal. You stopped yourself.
Joseph: They said I got fined for the intent of trying to do it. And I was like, imagine if I tried to do it.
Eagles running back Boston Scott. (Rey Del Rio / Getty Images)
Wulf: Boston, have you ever been fined by the league?
Boston Scott: I think one time for a T-shirt.
Wulf: T-shirt?
Scott: My shirt was too long.
Wulf: Man.
Scott: Oh, you know what? It was socks.
Wulf: Socks. That’s everybody.
Scott: Yup.
Wulf: And you haven’t made that mistake again?
Scott: No. Keep my money in my pocket.
Wulf: Do you have any stories of an unfair fine that you’ve gotten from the league?
Robert Quinn: Huh? All of them.
Wulf: (Laughs)
Quinn: All of them.
Wulf: Any one stand out?
Quinn: I think one time my shirt was hanging from under my jersey and I think my knees were showing.
Wulf: Can’t have that.
Quinn: Those were probably, to me, the dumbest.
Wulf: I would agree. The uniform ones. Did you appeal those?
Quinn: Yup. Sometimes it don’t go in your favor, but most of the time it’ll go in your favor. Still gotta appeal ’em, you never know.
Wulf: OK.
Quinn: Playing football, it’s kind of hard for them to stay up.
Wulf: Sorry, my knees were showing.
Quinn: Right. (Laughs)
Wulf: Thank you.
Quinn: They fine you?
Wulf: No. But I figure Black Friday, everybody’s trying to save money, so I’ll do a little thing on the money that’s been taken from you guys.
Quinn: I mean, it’s a tax write-off.
Wulf: OK! That’s a good veteran tip.
Quinn: (Laughs) You know. You can work it out. Of course, you would rather keep the money, but it’s a tax write-off. I’m speaking for myself on that.
Wulf: Dallas, do you have any stories of an unfair fine you’ve gotten from the league?
Dallas Goedert: No, I haven’t been fined too much. I haven’t been fined too much, and when I have …
Wulf: You had it coming?
Goedert: Usually they’re right.
Wulf: What’s the most recent one?
Goedert: Taunting call earlier this year.
Wulf: Who was that against?
Goedert: Detroit. Forty-four (Malcolm Rodriguez).
Wulf: Do you remember what you did?
Goedert: I just kind of stood over him, flexed on him. Can’t do that.
Wulf: And what does that cost?
Goedert: Too much. I think they got me for like 11 (thousand).
Wulf: And you appealed?
Goedert: I got it down to like five or something. S—, I wish it was none. I ain’t taunt nobody after that.
Wulf: I’m asking guys in the locker room if they have an instance of, like, a fine from the league that they thought was sort of unfair.
Ndamukong Suh: (Laughs) A fine from the league that was unfair?
Joseph: (Laughs)
Suh: When I played his old team Minnesota and I got fined 100 grand for a block on an interception.
Wulf: OK.
Suh: That was definitely unfair.
Wulf: What was it, like a blindside?
Suh: Yeah.
Wulf: A hundred!
Suh: (Shakes his head)
Wulf: Was that because you were a repeat offender?
Suh: I have no clue. I don’t understand how a lot of those folks make decisions.
Joseph: What about the one in Green Bay?
Suh: Which one?
Joseph: Stepped on Aaron Rodgers.
Suh: Nah. That was …
Wulf: (Laughs)
Joseph: How much was that one?
Suh: Maybe, I was suspended for two games. But my game checks were low, so it was maybe $25,000 each or something like that.
Wulf: Because it was your rookie contract.
Suh: Yeah.
Wulf: That makes sense. Do it when you’re a rookie, I guess.
Suh: (Laughs) Yeah.
Joseph: The worst fine I got wasn’t on the field. It was off the field.
Wulf: OK.
Joseph: You know, back then, that s— you get from meat from Mexico? I had 0.1 percent in my system …
Wulf: OK?
Joseph: And they tried to suspend me four games. It was like, but we’ll settle for $500k.
Wulf: (Laughs)
Suh: Damn.
Joseph: Yeah. That s— hurt, bro.
Suh: (Laughs)
Wulf: And what was it?
Joseph: I had like 1 percent of contaminated meat in my system.
Wulf: Oh.
Joseph: A few years ago, it started happening to a lot of people and they didn’t know how to deal with it. So the season started, and like halfway, almost to the end, they were like, “Hey, give us a number.”
Wulf: (Laughs)
Joseph: “A hundred grand?” “No, that’s not good enough. We’ll suspend you, or, 500 grand.”
Wulf: That’s tough.
Suh: Trying to get they charity right.
Joseph: Yeah, I couldn’t write it off.
Wulf: Oh, you couldn’t write that one off?
Joseph: No! That’s why I was like, it never added up.
(Top photo of DeVonta Smith: Michael Reaves / Getty Images)
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