If Baltimore Ravens inside linebacker Roquan Smith thought he could get away with hurting the NFL’s golden boy, he was wrong.
The NFL came down hard on Smith on Saturday with a pair of fines stemming from the Ravens’ blowout loss to the Buffalo Bills in Week 8.
“The NFL fined Ravens LB Roquan Smith $17,911 for a facemask — twisting Josh Allen’s head on this TD last week — and another $17,911 for a hit on a defenseless player on a different play,” The Ringer’s Tom Pelissero wrote on his official X account on Saturday.
“Roquan Smith of the Ravens was fined $17,911 for his pulling of the helmet/facemask of Bills QB Josh Allen last Sunday,” Bills reporter Sal Capaccio wrote on his official X account on Saturday. “The amount is because it was Smith’s second offense this season. He had previously been fined $11,941 for this same infraction in Week 2.”
Ravens Could Part Ways With ‘Reckless’ LB
Smith has established himself as one of the NFL’s elite defenders and signed a 5-year, $100 million contract extension with the Ravens before the 2023 season.
After what’s being viewed as a down year for Smith in 2025, in which he still had 130 tackles — just no sacks or interceptions — The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec singled out Smith as the player on Baltimore’s roster with the “most on the line” in 2026.
“Let’s talk more about Smith,” Zrebiec wrote on July 20. “He’s coming off a season where the defense he leads struggled mightily and he finished without a sack or interception for the first time in his career. His 130 tackles represented his lowest total since 2019, when he played just 12 games. Smith turns 30 in April. Cutting him next offseason would create $20 million in salary-cap savings. He needs a big year to silence the talk that he’s on the decline. ”
Through 9 games, Smith leads the 4-5 Ravens with 74 tackles.
NFL Rankings Show Smith Still Highly Regarded
ESPN’s annual position rankings as voted on by NFL executives, coaches, and scouts showed a player in Smith who is still very much held in high regard by his contemporaries.
Smith was ranked No. 2 for the 2nd consecutive season behind San Francisco 49ers linebacker Fred Warner.
“He knows what’s coming before the play and plays with reckless abandon,” one anonymous AFC coach told ESPN.
Smith is 1 of only 2 NFL players to record at least 130 tackles in each of the last 6 seasons alongside future Pro Football Hall of Famer Bobby Wagner.
NFL Announces Stern Punishment for Ravens LB Roquan Smith