The NFL is continuing to fine players for unsportsmanlike conduct and unnecessary roughness penalties this season. Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen was slapped with a nearly $11,000 fine for pointing at Cincinnati Bengals safety Nick Scott on his two-yard touchdown run. Multiple Pittsburgh Steelers players were fined for excessive roughness against the Rams earlier this season.

Now the NFL has fined Raiders RB Josh Jacobs $21,855 for unnecessary roughness after he allegedly lowered his helmet to initiate contact, and football legend JJ Watt isn't having it, saying, “I’m all for making the game safer, I’m all for fining plays that are intentfully (sic) malicious, I’m all for protecting players. But we are STEALING MONEY from players for playing football.”

Here is the Jacobs play that Watt is referring to:

Did Jacobs lower his helmet? A little. Should that be a fine? Watt certainly doesn't think so. There's no doubt that fines are up this season. The most recent data shows that the NFL has collected more than $3.2 million in fines through Week 8 for on-field infractions in 2023. The exact sum is $3,266,710 for 236 total infractions.

That includes most, but not all, of the fines issued by the NFL this season, but does not include off-field penalties. For example, Steelers WR Diontae Johnson was fined $25,000 in Week 8 for criticizing the referees after a loss to the Jaguars and that amount is not included in the total.

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Watt isn't the only one frustrated with the NFL. NFLPA president J.C. Tretter wrote on Wednesday that players are concerned they are being excessively fined:

“By simply creating a new point of emphasis, the NFL can rack up hundreds of escalating fines on players. This is an approach that does not make sense and is leading to money coming out of players’ pockets for things that, often, they are being coached to execute. In short, players feel this has become less about player safety and more about being overly punitive.”