Typically, the NFL announces any fines on the following Saturday after each weekend’s slate of games — but the league’s Super Bowl punishment took longer than usual.
After initially reporting that no fines were handed out to either team on February 18, Pro Football Talk managing editor Michael David Smith issued a correction on February 19. There was one delayed fine, per Smith, and it penalized Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton (see photo above).
“Bolton was flagged for a horse-collar tackle on [San Francisco] 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy during the second quarter of the game,” Smith relayed. “And now the NFL has confirmed that Bolton was also fined $8,238 for the penalty.”
The PFT media member added that “it was a fairly minor horse-collar tackle by Bolton, who only briefly grabbed the back of Purdy’s jersey and let go without dragging Purdy to the ground. But the officials felt it was worthy of a flag, and the league’s disciplinary office felt it was worthy of a fine.”
Chiefs CB L’Jarius Sneed Was Not Fined by NFL for ‘Unnecessary Roughness’ During Super Bowl
Per Smith, “Kansas City’s L’Jarius Sneed was flagged for unnecessary roughness, the only other personal foul called in the game, but the NFL did not fine Sneed, or any other player.”
Sneed’s flag occurred on the 49ers’ second quarter drive that ended in a touchdown. Bolton’s horse-collar was on the prior possession, which ended in a punt.
San Francisco only gained one yard before Sneed’s infringement, but the 15-yard penalty acted as a key momentum shift at the time, placing the ball just outside of the red zone at the 21-yard line. The Niners found the end zone just two plays later to make it a 10-0 game (after the PAT).
Fortunately, the Chiefs were able to complete a field goal drive before the end of the first half, gaining some confidence back with two quarters of regulation left to play. The rest is history.
NFL Insider Labels Chiefs ‘Major Contender’ in Offseason Breakdown
ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler posted an offseason breakdown on February 19, and it separated the league into tiers. The Chiefs were placed in tier one, labeled: “Still major contenders.”
This group had no shockers, as Kansas City joined the 49ers, Baltimore Ravens and Detroit Lions — the four franchises that made the conference championship games this year.
“The Chiefs have shown they can win a championship during a ‘down’ season, setting a tone that anything is possible over the next 3 to 5 years,” Fowler wrote.
Continuing: “In the short term, the Chiefs still have work to do at wide receiver, adding a presence alongside Travis Kelce and Rashee Rice. Re-signing free agents Chris Jones and L’Jarius Sneed seems ambitious, so Kansas City should prioritize one and go from there. Because the entire pass rush is built around Jones, let’s start there.”
“Declining Kadarius Toney’s fifth-year option seems like a given,” Fowler added. “And offensive tackle help should be on the way. Free agent Tyron Smith makes a lot of sense on the left side.”
Amid the insider’s thoughts and suggestions was a fascinating decision. When forced to choose between Jones and Sneed, Fowler went with the former.
Considering Jones’ game-wrecking potential, it’s hard to argue with the selection — but it’s fair to wonder whether most Chiefs fans would agree. Sneed performs an increasingly impactful role in the pass-heavy NFL, and he’ll cost less than Jones.
Kansas City has made it clear they want both defenders back in 2024, but things will start to get very interesting if the front office determines that’s not possible.
Would losing a Jones or Sneed bump the Chiefs off their current podium? Maybe, maybe not. The organization has won two straight titles without Tyreek Hill — so who knows if anything can stop Patrick Mahomes.
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NFL Hits Chiefs Starter With Late Super Bowl Fine: Report