No Minnesota Vikings player was fined by the NFL for any play in Week 14. However, there was a fine in the Vikings’ 31-0 win over the Washington Commanders for an opposing player.
On December 13, the Commanders‘ Nick Bellore appeared on the NFL’s Gameday Accountability report for Week 14. As part of the fining process, players are informed when a violation occurs and have the right to appeal any ruling.
Appeals are reviewed by officers and former NFL players Derrick Brooks, Ramon Foster, or Jordy Nelson, who are appointed and compensated jointly by the NFL and NFLPA. Ultimately, their decisions are final and binding.
Regarding Bellore, he’s receiving a fine for what the league categorizes as unnecessary roughness, stemming from an incident that occurred in the third quarter at the 1:28-minute mark. As a result, the NFL is fining him $10,847.
Vikings Could Have Offensive Line Issue in Week 15
While it’s good news that no Vikings player received a fine from the league, they received a concerning update ahead of their Week 15 game against the Dallas Cowboys. On December 12, the Vikings announced on their final injury report ahead of the Dallas game that offensive lineman Christian Darrisaw is questionable for the game.
T.J. Hockenson and Darrisaw were absent from Vikings practice on December 10 when the team released its injury report.
Hockenson sat out because of a shin issue, while Darrisaw, who rejoined the offensive line in Week 14 against Washington, was held out with a knee problem. Nonetheless, the team announced on December 11 that both players had participated in limited practice.
It will be a major issue for the Vikings’ offensive line if Darrisaw cannot play against the Cowboys. Minnesota will be looking for J.J. McCarthy to carry the momentum from his Week 14 win over the Commanders to help build the young quarterback’s confidence.
Against Washington, McCarthy went 16 of 23 for 163 yards and three touchdowns, keeping the offense clean with no interceptions. The stats may not jump off the page, but he’ll aim to use this performance as a springboard to finish the 2025 season strong.
Nonetheless, McCarthy might be put in a challenging spot if his offensive line isn’t fully healthy.
J.J. McCarthy Will Have T.J. Hockenson Against Cowboys
Darrisaw is still the only player listed on the injury report. Hockenson, despite limited practice this week, is expected to play against the Cowboys. The Vikings tight end shared an update on his condition with the media.
“It’s all good,” Hockenson told reporters on December 11. “We were running around today, checking out how it feels, felt pretty solid. Doing my routes, doing everything. I hit somebody on their knee with my shin, so it was a little bone bruise, but I’m not too worried about it, so we’ll be all right.”
McCarthy will rely on Hockenson as a primary target over the middle, but if Darrisaw can’t play against Dallas, the offensive line could struggle to provide consistent protection. That will put the second-year quarterback in a challenging spot, making it intriguing to see how he responds.
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