Defensive back Cooper DeJean was fined $11,593 by the NFL for taunting during the first quarter of the Eagles’ win over the Buccaneers in Week 4.
The taunting penalty was called in the first quarter when DeJean pulled off an Allen Iverson step-over after tackling Rachaad White for a gain of 4 yards.
The NFL is cracking down on taunting this season and DeJean is just the latest Eagle to be penalized and fined for it. Nolan Smith was fined $11,593 for taunting in Week 1 and Jalen Carter was fined $11,593 for taunting in Week 3. (Carter was also fined a game check of $57,222 for getting tossed before playing a snap in the opener.)
Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni has talked about the league’s emphasis on taunting and the Eagles’ need to clean it up.
“The NFL can do whatever they want to do there,” Sirianni said on Sept. 26. “It’s our job to play by the rules of how they’re calling it. Year-in, year-out there’s emphasis that the NFL puts on a certain rule. They go through their studies just like we go through our studies. ‘Hey, we’ve got to get better at this, or we’ve got to officiate this better.’ I love that. I love that they go through that process, and this is no different.
“It’s just a different type of penalty that we’re seeing and it’s getting called more. So, it’s our job to play within those rules, keep our composure and play within the rules of the game.”
DeJean wasn’t the only Eagles player to get fined in Week 4. Jalyx Hunt was fined for two separate infractions. He was docked $6,834 for a blindside block in the first quarter and got hit with another fine of $6,834 for a hip-drop tackle in the third quarter. The blindside block was called on the field but the hip-drop tackle was not.
The Buccaneers didn’t receive any fines from the NFL from Week 4.