NFL makes an example out of Saquon Barkley with another harsh punishment for Eagles star

The NFL is fining multiple Philadelphia Eagles players ahead of the team's NFC East showdown against the New York Giants on Sunday.

Most notably, the league is fining Saquon Barkley a whopping sum of $45,020 for "Unnecessary Roughness (use of the helmet)." During the play in question, which happened in the first quarter of the Eagles' Week 6 win over the Cleveland Browns, Barkley initiates contact by lowering the crown of his helmet, something the league has been bringing the hammer down on lately.

The league has predetermined amounts for fines and since this is not Barkley's first time being fined for the same reason, he gets an ever higher penalty. Out of any player safety/flagrant foul the NFL imposes fines on, use of helmet incurs the highest punishment. The only fines more expensive than that are related to offenses against officiating crews or fighting.

The league's fines for plays such as Barkley's have caused a lot of controversy, as many perceive to such moments being inevitable within the game of football. On the other hand, the league imposes very harsh penalties on defenders for lowering the helmet, so you could argue strictness should be the same for ballcarriers.

Every Saturday, the NFL is announcing its league-wide fines and amounts for penalties committed the previous week. The money collected by the league through player fines is "donated to the Professional Athletes Foundation to support Legends in need and the NFL Foundation to further support the health, safety and wellness of athletes across all levels, including youth football and the communities that support the game."

The NFL also fined Eagles cornerback Isaiah Rodgers for the same reason but it came at a way cheaper price, as Rodgers is protected by league rules that indicates punishments are limited to 10% of a player's per game salary cap amount.

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