The NFL’s Week 2 fine report hit the Detroit Lions hard, and Amon-Ra St. Brown took the biggest swing.
St. Brown was fined four separate times for his actions in the Lions’ 41-31 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Thursday Night Football.
All four penalties were listed as unsportsmanlike conduct tied to his celebrations, with the receiver appearing to mimic smoking after catches. He told reporters earlier in the week that he plans to appeal the fines.
He wasn’t alone. Six Lions were fined coming out of the game.
Along with St. Brown, Jahmyr Gibbs, Tyler Lacy, Penei Sewell, Devin White and Jameson Williams were hit with fines.
Williams was fined twice, while Gibbs, Sewell, Lacy and White each received one. Williams’ two fines, along with the ones handed to Gibbs and Sewell, were for unsportsmanlike conduct.
White and Lacy were fined for unnecessary roughness.
St. Brown’s total came to $57,409, while Williams was docked $26,867. Altogether, Detroit’s Week 2 fines pushed past $120,000.
The league handed out punishment across the NFL for celebrations in Week 2. Cincinnati Bengals wide receivers Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase were fined a combined six times for celebrations in their win over the Houston Texans after actions the league office deemed obscene. San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk and Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson also drew fines.
Juszczyk’s fine came after a celebration where he mimicked drinking a beer. He says he was pretending to drink juice, since juice is his nickname.
For St. Brown, the fines add to a growing list in his career. Before Thursday’s game, he had already been fined three times in his first five seasons: $43,709 for a blindside block in 2023, $11,255 for taunting in 2024 and $12,172 for fighting in 2025.
The Lions had already dealt with one fine last week, when Gibbs was hit with a $23,027 penalty for unnecessary roughness/use of helmet.
Even with the fines, St. Brown delivered big against Buffalo.
He finished with nine catches for 142 yards and two touchdowns, giving him back-to-back games with multiple scores to start the season. Through two games, he has 19 receptions for 209 yards and four touchdowns.
Detroit now turns to Sunday’s matchup with the New York Jets at Ford Field, where the Lions will try to get to 2-1.
In Other News...
Lions Fans Are Losing Faith But Still See One Immediate Chance
A rough Week 2 has clearly taken some shine off the Lions early-season buzz, at least in the eyes of the fan base. In the latest SB Nation Reacts survey sponsored by FanDuel Sportsbook, confidence in the direction of the organization slipped from the previous week, and fewer than half of respondents said they still felt good about where things are headed.
Even so, the mood is not close to panic just yet, because Detroit has an immediate chance to steady itself in Week 3 against the New York Jets. Fans may be cooling on the bigger picture after the loss, but the upcoming matchup still looks like the kind of spot where the Lions can quickly remind everyone why optimism had been running so high a week ago. [Read more 🡒]
Three Underused Lions Could Decide More Than Fans Expect Vs Jets
Through two games of the 2026 season, the Lions have gotten only modest early returns from a few players who may still matter plenty as the year unfolds. Kerry Wonnum, Jalen McCreary and TeSlaa have all been around the action without making much of a dent yet, but that can change quickly in a league where roles expand fast and one strong Sunday can alter a rotation.
Week 3 against the Jets gives Detroit a chance to see whether that quiet start was just a slow opening or the beginning of something more limited. Each of those players is in position for more playing time and a bigger statistical footprint, and for a team trying to stack wins early, even the lesser-used pieces can end up shaping how far the depth chart reaches. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Still Need More From Rookies After Early Promise
The early weeks of the season have already given Detroit a useful look at its rookie class, and not all of it has looked the same. Blake Miller is set to return from injury and step into the right tackle spot for Larry Borom, while Derrick Moores preseason buzz has not yet carried over into the regular season in the form of a first NFL stat. Keith Abney II and Skyler Gill-Howard have also been part of the mix in varying ways, giving the Lions a young group that is still sorting out who can help right away.
Dan Campbell has made it clear the development process is still very much underway, and that matters for a team trying to keep building depth without losing ground in the standings. The Lions have seen enough from the class to know there is potential there, but the next stretch will tell them more about which rookies are ready for bigger roles and which ones still need time to catch up to the speed and physicality of the NFL. [Read more 🡒]