The Seattle Seahawks‘ Leonard Williams will be a little light in his wallet this week due to a play in the 38-35 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on October 5.
On October 11, the NFL released its Game Accountability report for Week 5. Developed in collaboration with the NFL Players Association, the report details game-related rule violations that could lead to accountability actions, aiming to protect players while maintaining competitive balance and the integrity of the game.
Williams received the largest fine of any player for unnecessary roughness after using his helmet on a hit late in the third quarter against Tampa Bay. As a result, the league fined him $46,371.
Leonard Williams Becomes a Repeat Offender
Williams finds himself in the Game Accountability report for the second time in three weeks. The Seahawks star was also fined for a play in Week 3 for unnecessary roughness after using his helmet on a hit. On that play, the defensive lineman was fined $23,186.
The likely reason for the significant fine in Week 5 is that Williams is now a repeat offender for the same play. Moreover, if he continues to be reckless with this same offense, the fines will only increase, which the player won’t want. Nonetheless, it’s another warning that Williams must clean up his tackling while out on the field.
It’s only the sixth week of the season, and the Seahawks are in the middle of a tight race for the NFC West. As a result, each game matters, and Seattle cannot afford to lose Williams to a suspension should he continue to use his helmet on tackles.
Seahawks Need a Bounce Back Win
Seattle will play another team from Florida in back-to-back weeks as they face the Jacksonville Jaguars. Moreover, Williams and Co., on defense, could see the Jaguars exploiting their unit like the Buccaneers did.
Former NFL quarterback Brock Huard pointed out one major concern for Seattle heading into its matchup with Jacksonville — Tampa Bay may have already given first-year Jaguars head coach Liam Coen a clear blueprint for attacking the Seahawks’ defense. Huard broke down his reasoning during his recent “Blue 88” segment on Seattle Sports’ “Brock and Salk.”
“One of the concerning elements to me is Liam Coen watches that game and goes … that’s my stuff,“ Huard said (h/t Seattle Sports). “He was play caller there for Baker last year (with the Buccaneers) and their passing game coordinator got elevated to OC, and there is nothing that Liam Cohen saw in that entire playbook and game plan that Tampa Bay did (that his offense doesn’t do).”
“That’s the one little element that is a bit unique in this back-to-back weeks, is a coordinator that knew that quarterback, that (runs) that system and is doing a lot of the same things in Jacksonville and wanting his very talented quarterback (2021 No. 1 overall pick Trevor Lawrence) to go execute it.”
It will be interesting to see if the Seahawks defense can emerge and quiet the Jaguars offense as they are one of the surprise teams of the 2025 NFL season with their 4-1 start.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post NFL Announces Punishment for Seahawks’ Leonard Williams appeared first on Heavy Sports.