The Washington Commanders were completely routed by the Detroit Lions during Week 10, and following a first-half altercation, the fallout continues.
After a first-half altercation between Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown and Commanders DT Daron Payne â which resulted in Payneâs ejection and subsequent one-game suspension â the NFL has handed down additional penalties to other Commanders players involved in the matchup.
In addition to Payneâs discipline from the league, two other Commanders players are also being punished.
Defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw has been fined $28,555 for unsportsmanlike conduct after making contact with an official with 9:41 remaining in the second quarter. Linebacker Ale Kaho received a $46,371 fine for using his helmet illegally just after halftime. Despite being a rookie, this is not Kahoâs first helmet-related fine; he was previously docked $4,685 for a similar infraction on the kickoff unit earlier this season against the Atlanta Falcons.
GettyLANDOVER, MARYLAND – AUGUST 23: Myles Gaskin #38 of the Baltimore Ravens is tackled by Ale Kaho #51 of the Washington Commanders during the second half of the NFL Preseason 2025 game at Northwest Stadium on August 23, 2025 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Jess Rapfogel/Getty Images)
Washington Commanders Continues Downfall
In their matchup against the Lions, Washington players were hit with fines totaling $74,926, and their star defensive player faced a one-game suspension.
This is completely unacceptable for a team that entered the season with Super Bowl aspirations. Veteran players like Payne, in his eighth year, and Kinlaw, in his sixth, should know better than to strike an opponentâs helmet or make contact with an official.
After star quarterback Jayden Daniels was injured, Washingtonâs season appeared to spiral downward, and when he went down again later, it effectively sealed the Commandersâ struggles, leaving them at 3-7.
This week, Washington faces the Miami Dolphins (3-7) in an international matchup in Madrid, Spain. The game pits one of the leagueâs worst defenses in Washington against one of Miamiâs lowest-ranked offenses.
The Commanders will be without Payne due to his suspension, as well as Kaho, who has been ruled out with a concussion after missing practice all weekâraising questions about whether the play that earned him a fine contributed to his injury.
Could Jayden Daniels Still Play This Season?
Daniels was not placed on injured reserve leaving a chance that he could return from a gruesome elbow dislocation injury he suffered during “Sunday Night Football” Week 9. He doesn’t have any ligament damage and will not require surgery.
GettyLANDOVER, MARYLAND – NOVEMBER 02: Jayden Daniels #5 of the Washington Commanders walks to the locker room after injuring his left arm during the fourth quarter against the Seattle Seahawks in the game at Northwest Stadium on November 02, 2025 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)
Last week on SportsCenter, ESPNâs Jeremy Fowler commented that the Commanders are âreally playing this one by ear.â
“So, this is actually, it’s pretty complicated, ’cause I’m told that Jayden Daniels could potentially be back after three weeks on that elbow issue,” Fowler said. “Not gonna need surgery. They’re not putting him on injured reserve right now, but talking to the team, people with the player, this could turn into a five-to-six week thing real fast, depending on when they revisit this around the bye week, in two-and-a-a-half, three weeks.
“If they’re sitting at 3-8, that could certainly be a factor here. â¦And so, they’re really playing this one by ear.”
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