A controversial penalty on a New England Patriots two-time Pro Bowl tight end has now resulted in a financial punishment for the 10-year veteran, the NFL Football Operations department announced on Saturday, less than 24 hours before the 2-2 Patriots were set to face the undefeated (4-0) Buffalo Bills on NBC’s Sunday Night Football national telecast.
Austin Hooper, a 30-year-old 2016 Atlanta Falcons third-round draft pick, was slapped with a fine totaling $11,593 for “unnecessary roughness” stemming from a facemark penalty. Hooper was called for the penalty at 7:51 of the second quarter in the Patriots Week 4 victory over the Carolina Panthers.
The fine was criticized as too much by one expert, longtime ESPN Patriots insider Mike Reiss.
“Hooper was penalized 15 yards on the play for a face mask,” Reiss wrote on Saturday. “That seems excessive as there didnât seem to be any clear intent of him grabbing and pulling.”
Only Hooper’s Second Flag of Season
The call was only the second against Hooper this season, his second year with the Patriots, and his first since Week 1 when he was flagged for holding in the second quarter of a 20-13 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders.
In 2024, Hooper was not officially called for any penalties though he appeared in all 17 games, starting eight. His lone flag all season was declined. In fact, in his 10-year career with five different teams, Hooper has been called for only 23 penalties.
Last week’s penalty came on a six-yard run by Patriots rookie ball carrier TreVeyon Henderson, a run which would have taken New England to the Carolina four yard line. Instead, the penalty called against Hooper set the Patriots back to the Carolina 24 yard line for a long first-and-goal situation.
Ultimately, the Patriots overcame the Hooper facemask call, with second-year quarterback Drake Maye hitting a pair of short passes â to Henderson and then to wide receiver Stefon Diggs â taking the Patriots to Carolina’s five yard line. Henderson ran it in from there for the former Ohio State standout’s first NFL touchdown.
Patriots Largest Victory Margin in 3 Years
The Patriots went on to win the game by an overwhelming 42-13 score, their largest margin of victory since 2022 when they defeated the Detroit Lions in Week 5, 29-0. New England also cracked the 40-point plateau for the first time since a 2021, Week 17 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, which ended in a 50-10 Patriots triumph.
That season was also the last in which the Patriots qualified for the playoffs, and their only postseason appearance since legendary quarterback Tom Brady departed New England as a free agent following the 2019 campaign â a dry spell the Patriots are hoping to break this time around.
Patriots Face Tough Test on SNF
The New England’s first, and only, playoff opponent in 2021 was the Buffalo Bills who blew out the Patriots 47-17. The Patriots face the Bills again on Sunday night, this time with Maye rather than 2021 first-round pick Mac Jones under center.
Out of a dozen dozen experts polled by ESPN, only one â ESPN’s Chris Fowler â has picked the Patriots to pull off what would be a major upset and the most significant victory of Maye’s career.
A quick, three-expert survey by USA Today Patriotswire found similar results, with two off the three picking the Bills, but one Danny Jaillet, seeing New England squeaking by with what would be a stunning 28-24 victory on the road.
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