The Pittsburgh Steelers are back atop the AFC North division, but their work is only just getting started. While the team has done well to pick up back-to-back victories over the Baltimore Ravens and Miami Dolphins in recent weeks, they still have several important games left on their schedule as they attempt to lock up the top spot in their division.
Before the team can fully turn the page to Week 16, the NFL looped back around to the action from Week 15 to hand out some punishments. Steelers’ running back Jaylen Warren found himself in the league’s crosshairs, and it was announced that he had received a hefty punishment for one specific play in the team’s win over the Dolphins.
Steelers’ Jaylen Warren Gets Fined for Big Hit in Win Over Dolphins
The 2025 season has been a bit of an odd one for Warren on an individual level. After entering the year as the Steelers’ lead running back, he’s gradually lost more and more snaps with the emergence of Kenneth Gainwell on offense. Warren’s numbers aren’t bad, as he’s rushed for 685 yards and four touchdowns, while also catching 33 receptions for 292 yards and another pair of scores, but he hasn’t been as productive as anyone really expected him to be entering the year.
As long as Pittsburgh is winning, though, Warren likely won’t be too concerned. He didn’t do much against the Dolphins in Week 15, as he racked up just 33 yards on 12 carries, while also catching three passes for 15 yards, but the Steelers cruised to a fairly effortless victory, so his lack of production ultimately didn’t matter.
Along the way, though, Warren delivered a brutal hit to Miami linebacker Jordyn Brooks that caught the attention of the NFL. While a flag was not thrown on this play, the league determined that Warren used his head to lead on his block against Brooks, and that ended up leading to a $17,130 fine coming his way on Saturday afternoon.
Steelers Aiming to Continue Winning Ways in Week 16
GettyHead coach Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers
Warren likely didn’t mean any harm with this play, but these are the sort of hits the NFL is looking to get rid of in an attempt to protect its players as much as possible. There’s a decent chance Warren will appeal his fine, but regardless, the message sent by the league has been received loud and clear, as it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Warren be a bit more cautious when levying his blocks in future games.
In Week 16, the Steelers will face a tall task when it comes to earning their third-straight win, as they will face off against the Detroit Lions. Like Pittsburgh, Detroit finds itself in a battle for a playoff spot, and this game is basically do-or-die for them. The stakes are high, and after a rough game against the Dolphins, the Steelers will be hoping Warren can put together a bounce-back game, as the offense will need to produce if the team wants any shot of taking down the Lions.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Steelers RB Jaylen Warren in Hot Water with NFL for Hit on Dolphins Pass Rusher appeared first on Heavy Sports.