The Washington Commanders got the result they needed on Thursday night, but Frankie Luvu may still be the one paying for it.
Washington’s 24-21 Week 10 win over the New York Giants kept its slim NFC East playoff hopes alive and trimmed the gap in the division race. The Commanders picked up a game on the Giants and sit just behind the Cowboys in second place, with a wildcard path looking unlikely.
Luvu was right in the middle of the action. He forced a fumble on Malik Nabers and helped swing the game in Washington’s favor. But one hit from the linebacker is now the play drawing the most scrutiny.
On the tackle in question, Luvu led with his helmet while hitting Giants tight end Theo Johnson. Officials initially threw a flag for a hit on a defenseless player before reversing the call.
The Giants Report called it out on X, writing, “Big miss on a Helmet-to-Helmet hit by Frankie Luvu on Theo Johnson,” and adding, “Would have been an extra 15 yards. Tough break but a first down nonetheless.”
Even though the penalty was overturned, the NFL’s GameDay Accountability Committee could still reach out to him after the game.
That would not be new territory for Luvu. In 2025, he was fined $100,000 after his one-game suspension for repeated hip-drop tackles was reduced on appeal.
The week before that, he was fined $46,372 for a hip-drop tackle against the Kansas City Chiefs. During Week 4, he was also fined $23,186 for a hip-drop tackle on Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix.
Luvu finished the night with four tackles. Through seven games, he has 55 tackles and two sacks.
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