In Week 12 of the NFL season, the Chicago Bears beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 31-28 behind another productive performance from uarterback Caleb Williams, a big day for WR D.J. Moore, and a minor controversy surrounding the 28‑year‑old wideout.
Williams finished 19 of 35 for 239 yards and three touchdowns, while Moore led Chicago with five catches for 64 yards and two TDs.
However, one intermediate play erased positive yardage for the Bears, and has now drawn a hefty fine from the NFL.
Early in the third quarter Williams hit Moore on a short right-side catch that picked up about five yards to the Pittsburgh 24.
Moore was stopped by James Pierre and Joey Ramsey; after the whistle he tossed the ball toward Pierre and was flagged for taunting.
The 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty nullified the gain and pushed Chicago back on the drive — though Moore later delivered a 25-yard touchdown on the same possession.
On Saturday, the NFL assessed a $11,593 fine for Moore’s actions.
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After posting career-highs in his first year with the Bears in 2023, recording 1,364 receiving yards and eight TDs on 96 receptions (14.2 yards per catch), Moore’s production has steadily declined over the last couple of seasons.
Last year, he recorded just 966 yards and six TDs on 98 catches (9.9 yards per reception), and this season, his numbers have dropped to 502 yards and three TDs on a mere 38 receptions through 12 games.
Moore signed a four-year, $110 million extension with the Bears in 2024, and carries a 2025 base salary of $20.6 million.
Over a 17-game schedule, he’s averaging roughly $1.2 million per game, so the $11,593 fine equals about 0.97% of that single-game pay.
While negligible to his overall earnings, the penalty fits the league’s recent crackdown on celebrations and taunting, as several players were fined earlier this season for similar actions.
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After the Pittsburgh game, the Bears continued their run with a Black Friday road win at Philadelphia to move to 9-3, keeping them atop the NFC North and firmly inside of the playoff picture.
However, the schedule tightens over the remaining stretch of games, with a tough Week 14 matchup at Green Bay (December 7), a rematch with the Packers two weeks later, and then at San Francisco versus the 49ers (Dec. 28).
With three of their final five games against divisional foes — including two meetings with the 8-3-1 Packers — every result will be crucial for Chicago’s postseason hopes.