Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Cole Holcomb found himself in hot water this weekend.
The NFL announced its fines from Week 3 Saturday afternoon. NFL insider Tom Pelissero reported Holcomb was one of six players who received a fine for a “major” infraction from Week 3.
Holcomb committed an illegal blindside block against the Cincinnati Bengals. While the Steelers linebacker didn’t receive a penalty for the block, which occurred on the game’s opening kickoff, the NFL fined Holcomb $11,041.
While that’s a lot of money for an NFL player, the 30-year-old potentially faces a much more significant punishment.
“Three fines in any one category triggers an automatic one-game suspension,” wrote Pelissero on X. “Players can appeal the fines.”
In summary, Holcomb is two more infractions of the same kind away from an automatic league suspension.
The Steelers have already played another game since facing the Bengals. But the NFL releases fines on Saturday for the prior week’s game. If any Steelers receive fines from Thursday’s Week 4 matchup versus the Cleveland Browns, those will be announced on Saturday, October 10.
Holcomb is in his fourth season with the Steelers. He missed all of the 2024 campaign because of a serious knee injury he sustained during November 2023. But the veteran has returned to be a valuable special teams contributor and depth inside linebacker.
This season, Holcomb has six combined tackles in four games.
Steelers’ Cole Holcomb Gets Fine From Week 3 Blindside Block
Players can appeal fines, so it’s possible Holcomb could get the illegal blindside block off his record. More than likely, though, it’s going to stay, and he will have to be careful not to make the same kind of block two more times.
While not a starter, Holcomb would be a significant loss for the Steelers for any amount of time. He’s played a key special teams role this season, lining up for 61% of Pittsburgh’s special teams snaps in 2026. Holcomb has also played 12 snaps on defense.
Holcomb was leading the Steelers in defensive snaps before his 2023 knee injury. In eight games that season before his injury, he had 54 combined tackles, including four for loss.
Over the first four seasons of his career, the linebacker played for the Washington franchise. He averaged 97 combined tackles per season.
Steelers Depot’s Alex Kozora wrote Saturday the NFL overhauled its fine system for this season. That’s made it more “rigid” to be suspended but there’s no other way to avoid that punishment after an offense other than an appeal.
Kozora wrote Holcomb’s blindside block qualifies under the new system toward an automatic suspension.
“As Tom Pelissero outlined last month, blindside blocks are one of five penalties that can trigger an eventual suspension,” wrote Kozora. “Players who commit three combined penalties in any of the five categories will be suspended for one game.”
Kozora added that if Holcomb doesn’t receive another fine, he will get 50% of his money back. That would reduce the fine he received from Week 3 to $5,520.50.
But should Holcomb eventually receive an automatic suspension, he will lose a game check. According to Spotrac, with a 1-game suspension, the linebacker would lose $93,055.56.
Steelers’ Cole Holcomb Faces Potential Severe Punishment From NFL