Ahead of their divisional round showdown at Gillette Stadium, both the New England Patriots and Houston Texans found themselves dealing with some off-the-field fines that could impact more than just the players’ wallets.
Patriots linebacker Christian Elliss was fined $17,389 for a facemask penalty during the second quarter of New England’s wild-card win over the Los Angeles Chargers. It’s the kind of mistake that doesn’t just show up on the stat sheet - it costs real money and, more importantly, can swing momentum in a playoff game.
This isn’t Elliss’s first run-in with this particular infraction either. He was previously fined $11,593 for a similar facemask penalty against Ravens wideout Zay Flowers just a few weeks back.
That’s two costly grabs in a short span - and in the postseason, discipline matters.
Over in Houston, linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair was fined $11,593 for a uniform violation during the Texans' wild-card victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. The fine stemmed from eye black that displayed a personal message - specifically, the words “STOP THE GENOCIDE.” While the league enforces strict guidelines on uniform and equipment regulations, Al-Shaair’s message clearly crossed the line in the NFL’s eyes.
This isn’t Al-Shaair’s first financial hit of the season either. He’s already forfeited money three other times this year for illegal hits - one each against the Chargers, Broncos, and Titans. That kind of track record adds up quickly, both in dollars and in reputation.
While these fines won’t keep either player off the field, they do raise questions about discipline and focus - two things that can make or break a playoff run. With the stakes rising in the divisional round, both Elliss and Al-Shaair will need to tighten things up if they want to help their teams advance.