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NFL Coach Faces $100K Fine After Taking Mask Off — To Yell At Referee

Three teams have already been fined more than $1 million

   DailyWire.com
HOUSTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 20: Head coach John Harbaugh of the Baltimore Ravens argues with the official after extra time was put back on the clock and Houston Texans kicked a field goal at NRG Stadium on September 20, 2020 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by
Bob Levey/Getty Images

Things often get heated on an NFL field — after all, giant men are bashing into each other for three straight hours.

And coaches, even though they’re not in the battle, also often lose their cool. But things are different in the COVID-19 era.

On Monday night, Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh got amped up as him team faced off with the Kansas City Chiefs. But then he did something that might draw a $100,000 fine.

No, he didn’t clothesline a Chief running down the sideline. He took off his mask to yell at a referee — right in his face. The ref, meanwhile, kept his mask on.

The confrontation came after Baltimore tight end Nick Boyle was flagged for tripping, which negated a 14-yard Lamar Jackson run and instead made it first-and-20 from the Baltimore 24.

The call enraged Harbaugh.

Three teams in the National Football League have already been fined more than $1 million because their coaches didn’t wear masks during games.

The three teams, each fined $250,000, are the Seattle Seahawks, the Denver Broncos, and the San Francisco 49ers. Their coaches, the Seahawks’ Pete Carroll, the Broncos’ Vic Fangio and the 49ers’ Kyle Shanahan, were also each fined $100,000.

“The $1,050,000 in punishments comes a week after the league sent a memo to teams reinforcing its requirement that coaches wear coverings over their mouths and noses at all times on the sidelines during games, threatening discipline for those who don’t comply,” ESPN reported.

“We must remain vigilant and disciplined in following the processes and protocols put in place by not only the league, union and clubs, but also by state and local governments,” Vincent said in the memo. “Failure to adhere to this requirement will result in accountability measures being imposed against offending individuals and/or clubs … Becoming careless or ignoring face covering and physical distancing requirements will put the 2020 season at risk,” Vincent said.

In last Monday night’s game, coaches Jon Gruden of the Las Vegas Raiders and Sean Payton of the New Orleans Saints had masks on, but Gruden wore his like a chin strap and Payton wore his gaiter like a turtleneck. The NFL fined Gruden a $100,000 fine for failing to properly wear a mask in violation of the NFL’s COVID-19 safety protocol. The infraction also cost the Las Vegas Raiders $250,000.

Gruden, who has already had COVID-19, said after that game: “I’m doing my best. I’m very sensitive about it … I’m calling plays. I just wanna’ communicate in these situations, and if I get fined, I’ll have to pay the fine, but I’m very sensitive about that and I apologize.”

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said the fines were “consistent” with the league’s guidance.

“You can’t let up,” Goodell told USA Today last week. “We’ve got to consistently do the things that have gotten us to this place and not think, ‘Okay, things have gone so well, so it’s okay now.’ It’s not. You’ve got to stay on your toes and we’ve got to continue to be disciplined.”

Related: Three NFL Teams, Coaches Fined More Than $1 Million For Not Wearing Face Masks

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