The Seattle Seahawks avoided losing yardage on Uchenna Nwosu’s horse-collar tackle of Patrick Mahomes. Their linebacker did not avoid a financial penalty.
The NFL fined Nwosu $17,911 for unnecessary roughness following Seattle’s 20-3 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on Oct. 25. The league’s disciplinary listing identifies a horse-collar tackle with 2:46 remaining in the third quarter.
The decision settles the question raised in Heavy’s earlier reporting on Nwosu’s potential punishment. A fine that had been anticipated after the game is now official.
It also puts a price on a play whose immediate consequences were limited by a Kansas City penalty. The calls offset on the field. The league’s subsequent review still produced a five-figure bill.
Uchenna Nwosu Fined After Patrick Mahomes Horse-Collar Tackle
Nwosu was flagged for bringing down Mahomes by the back of his collar during the Chiefs’ third-quarter possession. Kansas City offensive lineman Joshua Ezeudu was called for holding on the same snap, resulting in offsetting penalties and no play.
That distinction explains why Seattle did not surrender the usual penalty yardage for the horse-collar tackle. It did not remove the contact from the NFL’s disciplinary review.
As Heavy previously reported, Kansas City eventually finished the possession with a field goal. Those were the Chiefs’ only points of the night.
According to the NFL’s fines and appeals guidance, the officiating department reviews every play and refers potential violations for further examination. An on-field ruling and a disciplinary decision serve different purposes: one administers the game, while the other addresses a player’s conduct after review.
Nwosu’s $17,911 assessment matches the amount listed for a first-offense horse-collar tackle on the league’s fine schedule. That dollar figure alone does not establish his broader disciplinary history.
Players can appeal fines. The NFL and NFL Players Association jointly appoint the officers who hear those cases, and their decisions are binding. The announced assessment should therefore be distinguished from the amount ultimately collected if an appeal changes the outcome.
Seahawks Defense Kept Chiefs Out of the End Zone
The fine follows a night when Seattle otherwise gave Mahomes and Kansas City little room to operate.
According to Seahawks senior reporter John Boyle’s game recap, Seattle limited the Chiefs to 213 total yards, 11 first downs and three conversions on 11 third-down attempts. Kansas City never reached the red zone.
The Seahawks also contained former Seattle running back Kenneth Walker III, holding him to 36 yards on 14 carries. An offense featuring Mahomes, Walker and Travis Kelce finished without a touchdown.
For Seattle, the victory ended a two-game losing streak and improved its record to 4-3. Kansas City arrived undefeated and left with its first loss.
Nwosu’s penalty did not undo that performance. But the offsetting holding call offered protection only on the field. Six days after the win, the NFL attached a $17,911 consequence to the tackle.
NFL Announces Punishment for Seattle Seahawks After Patrick Mahomes Play