Bears Duo Fined, but None Issued for Play Causing Luther Burden’s Concussion
Burden’s injury and the hit
Burden was knocked unconscious and fumbled after Bain hit him with 3:48 remaining against Tampa Bay. There was no penalty flag, and the NFL did not fine Bain when it announced discipline.
Ifeatu Melifonwu recovered the ball at Chicago’s 21, and Tampa Bay later came back to tie the score. Burden’s status for the Bears’ Week 11 matchup with New Orleans was uncertain.
Fines for helmet use
Tampa Bay’s Keionte Scott was fined $6,540 for using his helmet while stopping Kalif Raymond on an unpenalized 6-yard catch. The play came with 12:52 left in the second quarter.
Chicago edge rusher Austin Booker was fined $6,547 for helmet use on a play with 30 seconds left in the first half. Baker Mayfield completed the pass attempt, but it was incomplete. The article also describes Booker as having been fined $6,457 for a Week 9 hit on Mayfield; the two figures differ.
Questions about consistency
Bain’s hit drew comparisons with a play the previous year in which Booker hit Packers quarterback Jordan Love, who was knocked out. Booker received a fine in that case, while the article says Love had lowered his helmet, as Burden appeared to do.
The NFL does not explain plays when it does not issue fines, leaving the reasoning for Bain’s case unclear. The article raises concerns about consistency in penalties and fines for helmet-to-helmet contact.
Thomas penalty affects Bears
Zavion Thomas was penalized for unnecessary roughness after striking Tampa Bay cornerback Jacob Parrish during a post-play dispute. The 15-yard penalty followed a 2-yard D’Andre Swift run and moved the Bears back from the Buccaneers’ 6 to the 21.
Caleb Williams threw his first of four interceptions on the next play. Coach Ben Johnson told reporters he did not know whether Thomas played offense again after the penalty. The two fines for Chicago were its first since Clark Phillips was fined $11,550 for helmet use against Seattle the previous week.
Key points
- Rueben Bain Jr. was not fined for the hit that gave Luther Burden a concussion.
- Burden’s availability for the Bears’ Week 11 game against New Orleans remained uncertain.
- Keionte Scott and Austin Booker received helmet-use fines, though the article gives two different amounts for Booker.
- Zavion Thomas received a 15-yard penalty after a post-play dispute with Jacob Parrish.