10 of the Most Expensive Fines in Football
NFL players have sky-high salaries and contracts that would make the average person feel faint. They also get slapped with fines left and right, some frivolous and some substantial. From flipping the bird to the opposing team’s fans to wearing a polarizing political hat on the field, the NFL isn’t shy when it comes to fining folks. We’ve rounded up some of the most expensive football fines in the history of the NFL below.
1. Deshaun Watson
Fine: $5 million
Deshaun Watson — quarterback for the Cleveland Browns — was fined $5 million as part of a settlement with the NFL after allegations of misconduct. The fine, announced alongside an 11-game suspension during the 2022 season, is the biggest penalty given to an individual player in NFL history. Watson, who repeatedly denied the accusations, agreed to the settlement to dissolve disciplinary actions stemming from over two dozen allegations.
2. Dan Snyder
Fine: $60 million
Dan Snyder, the former owner of the Washington Commanders, received a whopping $60 million fine in 2023 following an investigation sparked by allegations of financial impropriety and workplace misconduct. Alongside the penalty, the franchise switched hands in a $6.05 billion sale to a group led by Josh Harris. The investigation found evidence that Snyder withheld revenue owed to the league and created a toxic workplace culture.
3. Washington Commanders
Fine: $10 million
Dan Snyder’s investigation in 2023 wasn’t the first drop of hot water he found himself in. The Washington Commanders were fined $10 million in 2021 after an NFL investigation uncovered a pervasive workplace misconduct culture under Snyder’s ownership. The investigation, prompted by numerous allegations of harassment and toxic behavior within the organization, revealed a pattern of mistreatment toward employees, particularly women. The fine, one of the largest ever imposed on an NFL franchise, also mandated the team to implement workplace training and other corrective measures. Snyder also stepped away from the team’s day-to-day operations.
4. Bill Belichick
Fine: $500,000
Bill Belichick, the longtime head coach of the New England Patriots, was fined $500,000 in 2007 for his role in the “Spygate” scandal, one of the most infamous controversies in NFL history. At the time, the fine was the largest penalty on a coach, stemming from the Patriots’ illegal videotaping of the New York Jets’ defensive signals during a game. The NFL deemed the act a violation of league rules prohibiting the use of recording devices to gain a competitive advantage. In addition to Belichick’s fine, the Patriots organization was fined $250,000 and forfeited a first-round draft pick.
5. Denver Broncos
Fine: $1.9 million (combined)
The Denver Broncos faced $1.9 million in fines in 2001 and 2004 for circumventing the NFL’s salary cap during the mid-1990s. The violations were tied to deferred payments in contracts with franchise legends John Elway and Terrell Davis, which were not disclosed to the league (a big no-no). These undisclosed agreements allowed the Broncos to allocate more funds toward building their roster, giving them an unfair competitive advantage during their Super Bowl-winning years.
6. New Orleans Saints
Fine: $500,000 … twice
The New Orleans Saints were fined $500,000 in 2020 for violating the NFL’s COVID-19 safety protocols. Players and staff were seen celebrating a victory in the locker room without wearing masks, despite the league’s strict guidelines to mitigate the spread of the virus. In addition to the monetary penalty, the Saints also forfeited a seventh-round draft pick. In 2022, the Saints faked an injury to make it an even million, and were slapped with another $500,000 fine.
7. New England Patriots
Fine: $1 million
The NFL fined the New England Patriots $1 million in 2015 for their role in the infamous “Deflategate” scandal. During the AFC Championship Game against the Indianapolis Colts, officials discovered that the Patriots intentionally deflated footballs below the league’s required pressure levels, allegedly to give quarterback Tom Brady a competitive edge. Along with the fine, the NFL docked the team a first-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft and a fourth-round pick in 2017. The league also suspended Brady for four games, though he denied draining the life out of any innocent footballs.
8. Eddie DeBartolo Jr.
Fine: $1 million
In 1999, the NFL fined Eddie DeBartolo Jr., owner of the San Francisco 49ers, $1 million after he pleaded guilty to a felony charge for failing to report an extortion attempt. DeBartolo admitted to paying $400,000 to former Louisiana Governor Edwin Edwards in exchange for a riverboat casino license. The NFL enforced the fine and required DeBartolo to kiss the 49ers goodbye.
9. Jamal Lewis
Fine: $760,000
In 2004, the NFL fined Baltimore Ravens running back Jamal Lewis $760,000 following his guilty plea to using a cell phone to facilitate a drug transaction in 2000. The league calculated the fine by docking Lewis four game checks as part of his two-game suspension. Lewis avoided jail time with a plea agreement, which included four months in federal prison during the offseason — a far cry from how we imagine most star running backs spend their offseasons.
10. Las Vegas Raiders
Fine: $800,000
In 2020, the NFL fined the Las Vegas Raiders $800,000 for repeatedly violating the league’s COVID-19 safety protocols. The penalties included $500,000 for the team, $150,000 for head coach Jon Gruden, and the loss of a sixth-round draft pick. The league also fined the Raiders after players attended a charity event without masks and sideline staff ignored mask mandates during games.