With Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season in the books, the fines are rolling in. The league announced the first round of them on Saturday, charging 20 individual players after a variety of offenses.
Among the big names on the list was Washington Commanders receiver Stefon Diggs, who was fined for unsportsmanlike conduct (illegal celebrations and vulgar acts) after a touchdown celebration.
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After scoring his first touchdown as a Commander in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Diggs jumped onto the goal post and wrapped his legs around it.
Diggs was quickly flagged for the unsportsmanlike penalty, which denied Washington a chance to go for a 2-point conversion. The Commanders went on to lose 24-22.
Afterward, Diggs admitted that he’d made a mistake.
“As soon as I wrapped my arms around it, I was like … ‘Oh, I forgot.’ It’s not back in the day,” Diggs said. “I’ve been playing for a long time. You used to [be able to] do that … I’ve got to be better.”
Diggs’ fine of $14,926 matches the league’s punishment for a first offense on an unsportsmanlike conduct call. If Diggs were to commit another offense, he would be fined $20,897.
Also on the list was Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs, who was given the biggest fine of the week for improper use of helmet. The league charged Gibbs $23,027 for dropping his helmet into the chest of New Orleans Saints cornerback Quincy Riley on a touchdown run.
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The play came on Gibbs’ second rushing touchdown of the game, with the running back getting the score early in the third quarter. He was not flagged for the play.
In recent years, the league has cracked down on both use of helmet and unsportsmanlike conduct in games, charging hefty fines for both offenses. Though Diggs was the only player to be additionally punished for an illegal celebration, three others were fined for taunting.
As for Gibbs, the Lions RB was among three players to be fined for use of helmet violations. San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk received the second-biggest fine of the week ($20,033) after dropping his helmet while blocking.
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Under NFL rules, a first offense for impermissible use of helmet or launching results in a $23,882 fine. It’s unclear why Gibbs and Juszczyk were fined slightly less than that amount, though the NFL may have taken the plays on case-by-case basis.
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