The NFL’s Week 5 discipline report had a familiar name sitting at the top: Maxx Crosby.
The Las Vegas Raiders edge rusher was fined $23,882 for unnecessary roughness after illegal use of his helmet in Sunday’s 45-17 loss to the New England Patriots. Crosby was flagged in the first quarter for unnecessary roughness when New England was kicking the extra point after a Drake Maye touchdown pass.
Buffalo running back James Cook was next on the list, docked $21,167 for use of the helmet against the Los Angeles Rams. He was not penalized on the play.
The league also hit New York Jets safety Minkah Fitzpatrick with two separate fines from the same game against the Cleveland Browns. Fitzpatrick was fined $17,911 for the hit that knocked out Browns receiver KC Concepcion, and he also picked up an $11,941 fine for a facemask. Fitzpatrick said it was not a dirty hit.
There were six helmet-use fines across the league in Week 5, according to the league’s discipline list.
Other fines included Patriots running back TreVeyon Henderson, who was fined $12,537 for a chop block, and Bills defender C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who was fined $11,194 for striking, kicking, or kneeing. Bills defensive lineman Braden Fiske was fined $11,941 for a facemask.
In the aftermath of a postgame exchange with Los Angeles Rams lineman Alaric Jackson, Bills defender Bradley Chubb was fined $14,329 for taunting. Jackson then struck Chubb, which led to a suspension.
A fight in last week’s London game also drew discipline. Eagles linebacker Jeremiah Trotter was fined $6,428, and Jaguars defensive end Bryan Thomas Jr. was fined $4,972 for their roles in the altercation that led to their ejections after the opening kickoff.
In Other News...
Maxwell Hairston Faces A Defining Bills Moment In Week 6
Maxwell Hairstons rookie year has already taken a winding path for the Bills, beginning with a stint on injured reserve before he finally made his debut in Week 8. The 2025 first-round cornerback showed enough early promise to keep the conversation around his place in Buffalos future, but the margin for error at cornerback is never very large, especially for a player trying to carve out his role after missing valuable time.
The recent stretch has made the picture less comfortable. Hairston struggled in the loss to New England, where he was part of a defense that gave up two touchdown passes, and the Bills have since added more competition to the room with Davison Igbinosun in the mix. Buffalo has made it clear that the job will be earned, not assumed, and Hairston now finds himself in a spot where the next step matters as much as the first impression did. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Fans Need To See Why James Cook Drew NFL Punishment
The league office has another Bills-related note for the ledger, and it comes with a price tag attached to James Cook. Buffalos running back was fined by the NFL for unnecessary roughness tied to helmet use in the Week 5 matchup with the Rams, a reminder that even a relatively routine postgame review can turn into a costly one for a player in the middle of the weekly grind. The NFL routinely sorts through game film after the fact, hands out discipline based on what it sees, and routes the money to the NFL Foundation.
For Cook, the punishment landed in the upper tier of that weeks league discipline, trailing only the fine issued to Raiders pass rusher Maxx Crosby. For the Bills, it is the kind of detail that doesnt change the scoreboard but still matters, especially when one of their most important offensive pieces gets singled out in a physical game that already carried its share of heat. [Read more 🡒]
Alec Anderson Has Become A Bills Surprise Fans Cant Ignore
Buffalos 4-1 start has been built in part on the kind of stability that can go unnoticed until it becomes impossible to ignore, and Alec Anderson has fit that mold along the offensive line. With Josh Allen leading a productive offense, Anderson has settled in as a key piece up front, giving the Bills another dependable blocker in a group that has helped the quarterback stay comfortable and the attack stay on schedule.
For a team that has leaned on trench depth to keep its offense humming, Andersons rise has been one of the quieter success stories of the early season. He arrived without much fanfare, but his work has stood out enough to turn him into a surprise performer the Bills can trust, and that matters even more when the schedule starts tightening and every protection call carries more weight. [Read more 🡒]
