The fine imposed on Giants running back Cam Skattebo for illegal use of the helmet was not a rarity. The flag thrown in real time for it was.
Of eight fines levied by the NFL for use-of-helmet violations in Week 7, only Skattebo’s came with a flag.
The league fined Skattebo $7,073. The seven players fined but not flagged were: Bears cornerback Clark Phillips ($11,550); Broncos safety Brandon Jones ($23,882); Broncos Alex Singleton ($47,662); Lions safety Brian Branch ($23,882); Colts cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt ($7,791); Steelers receiver Brandon Smith ($4,916); and 49ers running back Jordan James ($6,194).
The fines increase as the violations repeat. For Singleton, who was fined $23,882 for illegal use of the helmet, it was the second straight week he was fined.
The officials, for whatever reason, don’t often call penalties for illegal use of the helmet. That’s what made the penalty called on Skattebo so unusual.
The fact that the hit flattened Texans safety M.J. Stewart likely was a factor in the decision to penalize Skattebo. Still, the fact that only one of eight instances resulted in a foul being called underscores the fact that, when it comes to the rule against lowering the helmet and initiating forcible contact against an opponent, it’s something that costs players money far more routinely than it costs their teams field position.
The Falcons ruled out cornerback Billy Bowman Jr. (hamstring), wide receiver Beaux Collins (hip), inside linebacker Divine Deablo (forearm) and offensive tackle Cameron Williams (ankle) for Sunday’s game against the Buccaneers.
They previously ruled out running back Brian Robinson.
The Falcons also announced they elevated linebacker Brian Asamoah II and running back Khalil Herbert to the active roster for Sunday’s game.
This marks Asamoah and Herbert’s second elevation of the season.
Herbert will replace Robinson after returning two kickoffs for 65 yards and had three touches for 28 yards in Sunday’s victory over the 49ers.
Asamoah totaled one tackle in 11 special teams snaps last week.
Falcons rookie defensive tackle Anterio Thompson, who has been on the non-football injury list since the start of training camp, has disclosed that his career is over.
Via Marc Raimondi of ESPN, Thompson recently disclosed on social media that he has been told he’ll never play football again, due to a genetic mutation of his spinal cord.
Coincidentally, Falcons coach Kevin Stefanski was asked about Thompson on Friday, before Thompson’s Instagram post circulated.
“Mentally, I’ve been better than anyone would be in my situation,” Thompson wrote. “As a football player you know one day you’ll have to hang up your cleats but you just hope it’s on your own terms. It’s hard to explain what it feels like to go through the highest of highs to the lowest of lows in the [sic] matter of seconds.”
Thompson, who played college football at Washington in 2025, was a sixth-round pick in the 2026 draft.
The Falcons will be without running back Brian Robinson against the Buccaneers on Sunday.
Robinson has been ruled out for the second straight week with a hamstring injury. He had 53 carries for 211 yards and four touchdowns while working behind Bijan Robinson in the first six games of the season.
Khalil Herbert was elevated from the practice squad to serve as the backup running back last week and will likely be brought up again this weekend.
The Falcons also listed eight players as questionable for Sunday’s divisional matchup.
- Defensive back Billy Bowman (hamstring), linebacker Divine Deablo (forearm), defensive end Samson Ebukam (hamstring), defensive end Charles Snowden (back), cornerback Avieon Terrell (illness), and wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus (shoulder) were all limited participants in Friday’s practice. Wide receiver Beaux Collins (hip) and offensive tackle Cameron Williams (ankle) were full participants.
After rushing for 88 yards last week, Kenneth Gainwell may not be available for Sunday’s game against the Falcons.
Gainwell is officially questionable for the contest, along with offensive tackle Luke Goedeke.
Gainwell is dealing with a hip injury. While he didn’t practice on Wednesday, he was limited on Thursday, and upgraded to full on Friday. That’s a positive trend for his potential availability.
Goedeke (calf) got back on the field in a limited capacity on Friday after he didn’t participate on Wednesday and Thursday.
As head coach Todd Bowles said earlier in the day, receiver Emeka Egbuka (foot) is out. He did not practice on Friday.
Outside linebacker Yaya Diaby (illness), linebacker Josiah Trotter (illness), safety Antoine Winfield Jr. (rib), and quarterback Beker Mayfield (right thumb) are all off the injury report and are set to play.
