Hopefully Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Patrick Queen doesn’t do too much shopping while in Paris, France. On Saturday, the NFL hit Queen’s wallet with a fine for a hit he delivered during Week 6.
The league announced all its penalties from the prior week’s games Saturday. Queen received a $17,911 fine for a hit on a defenseless player against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The hit fell into the unnecessary roughness category.
Queen’s hit happened on a third-and-11 play, where Buccaneers quarterback Jalon Daniels didn’t connect with intended receiver Emeka Egbuka. Cornerback Jamel Dean covered Egbuka on the play. After the ball was already falling to the ground to be incomplete, Queen then delivered a side blow to Egbuka.
Queen didn’t receive a penalty for the hit. The Buccaneers then punted and the Steelers drove for a field goal on their next possession to tie the game.
This was Queen’s first fine in the 2026 NFL season. The linebacker was the only Steelers player to receive a fine from the Week 6 matchup in Tampa Bay.
Steelers’ Patrick Queen Gets Fine From Week 6 Hit vs. Buccaneers
Pundits can add the fine to Queen’s long list of unfortunate plays from the first several weeks of the 2026 season.
The linebacker has received criticism from analysts and even former players for making “business decisions” this year. Queen actually fired back at one analyst this past week.
“Slow it down and see if I would have made it,” wrote Queen in response to Steelers Depot’s Josh Carney. “Or since you watching film maybe look the play like this one before that I tried to shoot and got knocked out!!!
“Stupid.”
Against the Buccaneers in Week 6, there was a play where Queen tried to shove quarterback Jalon Daniels rather than deliver a strong hit. The linebacker might have wanted to avoid a penalty, or even a fine, on that play. But the shove didn’t stop the Tampa Bay signal-caller, and he picked up the first down.
On the hit against Egbuka, the opposite happened. Queen delivered the hit to ensure he didn’t get the reception on a key third down. Thankfully for the Steelers, the linebacker didn’t get a penalty. But Queen now has a fine to pay.
The fine was the first for a Steelers player since Week 4. Against the Cleveland Browns on Thursday Night Football, officials called receiver D.K. Metcalf for a taunting penalty. Metcalf also received a $11,941 fine.
Pittsburgh’s most recent fine for an illegal hit came against linebacker Cole Holcomb during Week 3. Holcomb delivered a blindside block on special teams versus the Cincinnati Bengals.
Steelers’ Patrick Queen Faces NFL Punishment From Buccaneers Game