Jadeveon Clowney Not Fined For Hit On Carson Wentz

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By Paul Bowman, Sports Talk Philly Editor

Jadeveon Clowney, the character man pictured above with a reporter of the same character in Josina Anderson, has been assessed a fine for his hit on Carson Wentz in the Wild Card round.

You probably know the one: The “bang bang” play where his head suddenly points straight down and smacked Wentz’s helmet into the ground, concussing him and giving Pete Carroll’s team a significant advantage.

Really had to cheap shot Carson out the game. pic.twitter.com/zdUaJDwEyD

— Victor Williams (@ThePhillyPod) January 5, 2020

Any fine, according to the NFL’s rules, would be dependent on what they deem the hit to have been.

A late hit has a minimum first-time offense of $10,527 and second-time offense of $21,056. Spearing carries $28,075 and $56,156. Impermissible use of the helmet (including illegal launching) carries the same fines as spearing.

Of course, Rodger Goodell could have stepped in on this if he wanted to set an example, like he did with fellow repeat offender Vontaze Burfict, considering Clowney was fined for illegal hits on two quarterbacks in the 2018 season alone.

Instead, Clowney will receive no punishment, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Seattle’s Jadeveon Clowney was not fined for Sunday’s hit on Carson Wentz, per source.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 11, 2020

Considering what the league has spewed about concussions and quarterback safety, a player causing a concussion on a completely unnecessary hit using his helmet is a particularly egregious move to exempt from any discipline.

Of course, there’s no reason to suspect that this wasn’t just an accident as Pete Carroll’s teams and Clowney himself only have a history of dirty plays like the one in question.

Clowney claims that Eagles fans are the worst because he's never had a dirty play against them – they were all just "bang bang"

Or maybe he's just a piece of garbage who can't take the heat of his own actions. pic.twitter.com/cDIvqLeFbN

— Paul Bowman (@PhillyBallPaul) January 6, 2020

In college football, Clowney would have been ejected without question. In the NFL, his team gained a significant advantage, squeaked by the Eagles and a 40-year old Josh McCown with his hamstring torn off his bone into the Divisional round and Clowney received nothing for that.

Even one of those minimal fines would easily be made up in his contract for his playoff performance that people like Cris Collinsworth, who just gush over how great Clowney is and how his targeting of a player on the ground are clearly not dirty, praise.

Of course, Clowney was available for trade this offseason, but he was never a fit for the Eagles locker room – a place where having character matters.

This weekend, all of Philadelphia will be Packers fans.