Fred Warner has now been fined twice this season by the NFL for the same infraction – but the San Francisco 49ers don’t have to worry about losing Warner for a one-game suspension just yet.
On Saturday, the NFL announced Warner received two fines for a combined $65,673 from the Niners’ Week 6 win over the Commanders: a $17,911 fine for a hit on a defenseless player early in the fourth quarter and a $47,762 fine for improper use of the helmet from later in that same quarter. The latter play saw referees initially throw a flag on Warner for the tackle on Chig Okonkwo. But after a discussion, the penalty flag was picked up and waved off. So depending on how you look at it, Warner got away with one in that instance.
It’s the second time Warner has been fined for improper use of the helmet this season. Back in Week 3, Warner was docked $23,882 for a tackle late in the second quarter against the Cardinals. He was also fined $17,911 for a fourth quarter hip-drop tackle in that game – so his season total on fines is up to $107,466.
Advertisement
Some influencers who cover the 49ers have said that Warner is only one “use of helmet” fine away from being suspended for a game. Before the season, the NFL implemented a new set of health and safety rules that three instances of a specific set of violations will get a player suspended for a game. The five that are part of the “three strikes and you’re out for a game” system are hip-drop tackles, horse collar tackles, launching, hits on a defenseless player and blindside blocks.
There has been some confusion because the NFL’s page explaining their fines and appeals process lists the specific tackling violation as “Impermissible Use of the Helmet/Launching.” But in the NFL rulebook, the “launching” penalty – when a player essentially leaps off of the ground to spring “forward and upward” into a defenseless opponent – is specifically listed under the “Players in a defenseless posture” portion in Rule 12, Section 2, Article 9.
The “impermissible use of the helmet,” though, is actually its own separate rule in Article 10. NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy confirmed to SFGATE via email on Sunday morning that “use of the helmet” violations are not a part of the list that could lead to potential suspensions.
Warner obviously could still be suspended if he commits two more violations for a hit on a defenseless player or two more hip-drop tackles. But the star linebacker isn’t a single tackle away from being forced to miss a game for the undefeated Niners, who are set to take on the Falcons in Atlanta at 10 a.m. on Fox.
Advertisement
More 49ers
– Ex-Cowboys QB Troy Aikman: ‘I love everything about the 49ers organization’
– Grant Cohn accuses 49ers reporter David Lombardi of ‘hugging’ players in locker room
– With a monster day and a viral meme, Mike Evans just became a true 49ers star
– How a Bay Area high school landed 2 ex-49ers stars as coaches
Full 49ers coverage
For all of our Bay Area sports coverage, sign up for The Catch newsletter here.
This article originally published at Why 49ers’ Fred Warner is not at risk of NFL suspension after 2 helmet fines.
