The NFL has hit Minkah Fitzpatrick with nearly $30,000 in fines for two plays involving Cleveland Browns rookie KC Concepcion during their Week 5 matchup.
The league’s Week 5 disciplinary report lists a $17,911 fine for Fitzpatrick’s hit on a defenseless receiver and another $11,941 for a facemask. The two penalties, both classified as unnecessary roughness, bring the New York Jets safety’s bill to $29,852.
Both plays occurred during the same first-quarter possession. Fitzpatrick was flagged for grabbing Concepcion’s facemask with 7:04 remaining, pulling the receiver’s helmet off. The hit that knocked Concepcion out of the game came with 4:59 left in the quarter.
Concepcion was attempting to catch a pass from Deshaun Watson when Fitzpatrick delivered the helmet-to-helmet hit. The rookie remained on the turf for several minutes before walking to the locker room under his own power. He was ruled out with a concussion and did not return to Cleveland’s 17-12 loss.
The Week 5 fines also followed a $17,911 penalty for a hip-drop tackle in Week 4. Across those two games, Fitzpatrick’s listed fines total $47,763.
Minkah Fitzpatrick Plans to Appeal NFL Fine
Fitzpatrick had acknowledged the fine for the hit on Concepcion before the league released the amount. Speaking Thursday, he declined to disclose the figure but said he would seek a reduction, according to ESPN’s Rich Cimini.
“It was a football play, in my opinion,” Fitzpatrick said.
Fitzpatrick said he was glad to see Concepcion back at practice and maintained that the collision happened in the normal course of the game.
“In my opinion, it was a football play, a bang-bang play,” he said.
Browns coach Todd Monken defended Fitzpatrick after the game, even as Cleveland dealt with losing one of its young receivers.
“It’s just a bang-bang play,” Monken said. “Minkah’s been in this league a long time and he’s not a dirty player.”
Other Browns players took a different view. Offensive tackle Dawand Jones said he confronted Fitzpatrick after the hit and referenced the safety’s tackle on Nick Chubb in 2023. Fitzpatrick was playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers when that collision left Chubb with a severe knee injury.
Browns Get KC Concepcion Back for Ravens Matchup
Concepcion has since cleared concussion protocol and is set to return Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens. After practicing on a limited basis Wednesday and Thursday, he participated fully Friday and finished the week without a game designation.
The rookie also declined to blame Fitzpatrick when discussing the hit with reporters Friday.
“I don’t fault anybody,” Concepcion said. “To me, it wasn’t a dirty hit. It was just a football play.”
Concepcion said it was his first concussion and that he had tried to return against the Jets. He instead had to watch from the locker room as Cleveland’s offense struggled to finish drives.
The No. 24 overall pick out of Texas A&M has 18 catches for 149 yards through five games. He managed one reception for 5 yards before leaving against New York.
Cleveland hosts Baltimore on Sunday with a 3-2 record after the loss to the Jets ended its three-game winning streak.
NFL Makes Final Call on Punishment for Hit on Browns’ KC Concepcion