The NFL doesn’t limit its disciplinary action to the regular season, which new Cleveland Browns offensive lineman Tytus Howard learned the hard way after a tripping penalty he sustained in the team’s preseason game against the Chicago Bears last month.
Micahel David Smith of Pro Football Talk reported the news of Howard’s five-digit fine for unnecessary roughness on Saturday, September 5.
“The NFL fined Howard $12,537 for what it deemed unnecessary roughness during the first quarter of the first preseason game. Howard got a 15-yard penalty for tripping on the play,” Smith wrote. “The $12,537 fine was the biggest fine the NFL has announced for the 2026 preseason, although the league has not yet announced any fines for the third and final week of the preseason.”
The NFL has now released the fines for all players across all preseason contests, and Howard’s remains the highest of the group.
Howard inked a two-year extension worth $45 million that keeps him in Cleveland through 2028 after the Browns traded the Houston Texans a fifth-round pick for the offensive tackle in March.
Browns’ Offensive Line Underwent Considerable Transformation Over Offseason
Howard is part of a new-look front five in Cleveland that has brought as much uncertainty as optimism with it to Northeast Ohio under new head coach Todd Monken.
Howard was the third piece of the puzzle, as the Browns dealt for him just two days after inking offensive guard Zion Johnson to a three-year deal worth $49.5 million. In between those two acquisitions, Cleveland signed former Green Bay Packers guard/center Elgton Jenkins.
The Browns went on to trade back from No. 6 to No. 9 in April’s draft, saving a nice chunk of change on the rookie contract of first-round pick Spencer Fano, who was their top target coming into draft night and who is poised to start at left tackle in Week 1.
Teven Jenkins should start at right guard in the season opener and is the only player of the unit’s top five who was a member of the roster last year.
Browns O-Line Faces Tough Task Protecting QB Deshaun Watson to Open Year
A big part of Howard’s purview is going to be the protection of starting quarterback Deshaun Watson. However, it remains to be seen how long Cleveland will keep the controversial QB in the top spot on the depth chart.
Behind him is Shedeur Sanders, while Dillon Gabriel is on the injured reserve list (IR) for the first four weeks of the season with a back injury.
It was Gabriel, who has slotted in as QB3 all offseason, who produced the best outing of the preseason with his showing against the New England Patriots in late August.
Sixth-round rookie Taylen Green is on the practice squad, at least for now. It is possible he could move up the roster based on how long Watson lasts as QB1, how healthy the room remains as a whole and if the Browns decide to trade any of their signal-callers ahead of the November 10 deadline.
Browns OT Tytus Howard Hit With Largest NFL Fine of Preseason