Getty Bills defensive tackle Ed Oliver reacts to a play at Ford Field on November 24, 2022.
For the second week in a row, Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Ed Oliver will have to hand over a chunk of his paycheck to the NFL.
The league issued a pair of fines to Oliver for incidents in the team’s October 8 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. As WIVB noted, it is now the second consecutive week that the league issued multiple fines to Oliver for his play on the field.
Oliver now joins a number of other Bills players who have been hit with fines so far this season, as the NFL has introduced a new level of transparency that publicizes all fines.
Ed Oliver Nailed for Illegal Hit
As the league announced on Saturday, Oliver was fined for two separate incidents in the first quarter of Sunday’s loss. The first was a hit on Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence that left him with a $16,391 fine, and the second was for unsportsmanlike conduct that cost Oliver an additional $13,659.
On the first play, Oliver was penalized for hitting Lawrence late after he completed a touchdown pass to former Bills wide receiver Zay Jones. Oliver was not flagged for the unsportsmanlike conduct infraction that took place later in the first quarter.
Oliver had been hit with two separate fines of $13,569 for celebrations in the team’s October 1 win over the Miami Dolphins.
Oliver is in the midst of a strong season, racking up four sacks through the first five games this year — just one shy of his career-best mark set in his rookie season in 2019.
Bills Hit With Other Fines
As the WIVB report noted, Oliver was one of three Bills players fined for conduct in Sunday’s loss in London.
“Additionally, Bills defensive end A.J. Epenesa was fined $21,855 for a hit on Lawrence that did not result in a penalty, and Tyler Matakevich was fined $10,181 for an illegal blindside block in the third quarter,” the report noted.
Jaguars defensive lineman Jeremiah Ledbetter was also fined for a hit on Bills quarterback Josh Allen in the game, with the NFL docking him $5,611.
A number of other Bills players have been fined this season, including a high-profile punishment to wide receiver Stefon Diggs for his impromptu celebration in the team’s win over the Dolphins.
After catching a touchdown from Josh Allen with close to 10 minutes remaining in the second quarter, Diggs grabbed a pair of beers from a fan on the sidelines and tossed them into the air, emulating WWE legend Stone Cold Steve Austin.
Stefon Diggs celebrates his TD with some beers
Diggs was fined $13,659 for the celebration, an amount that drew some criticism from fans as it was more than other players were docked for late or dangerous hits.
“A player getting fined for more $ for banging two beers together and not hurting anyone vs. a player who targeted and hit someone out of bounds is something I don’t understand,” one fan shared on X.
Some other Bills players were among those paying less for more dangerous plays. Safety Taylor Rapp was fined $9,611 for his Week 2 hit on Las Vegas Raiders’ Davante Adams that put the wide receiver into concussion protocol. Rapp was flagged for unnecessary roughness on the play.