Chiefs defensive back L’Jarius Sneed removed his helmet when arguing a call with an official on Sunday against the Vikings, which ordinarily draws a penalty flag. The officials told Sneed to put his helmet back on, but didn’t flag him. Now the NFL has fined him.
The league announced today that Sneed was fined $13,659 for unsportsmanlike conduct.
It’s another in a long list of examples of the NFL’s on-field officials and the league’s disciplinary process not being on the same page. If Sneed’s actions were unsportsmanlike enough to warrant a fine, then the officials also should have flagged him.
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell was clearly not happy that Sneed wasn’t flagged for taking off his helmet — or that the officials picked up the penalty flag they initially threw on Sneed for pass interference, which is what caused Sneed to argue. The NFL fine suggests that O’Connell was right to be upset — Sneed should have been penalized.