The NFL has finally shared its verdict on the controversial incident involving quarterback Shedeur Sanders. In Week 18, when the Cleveland Browns recorded a last-minute 20-18 win over the Cincinnati Bengals, the defense sacked Sanders six times. As a result, the league has handed down a fine to discipline the concerned player.
The NFL released the list of weekly fines on its game-day accountability page. The report confirmed that Bengals’ Cedric Johnson has been fined $5,525 for hitting rookie QB Shedeur Sanders, identifying it as a ‘blow to the head/neck.’
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Apparently, with 9:44 remaining in the second quarter, Johnson struck Sanders in the head after his short seven-yard pass to running back Raheim Sanders.
According to Rule 12, Section 2 of the rulebook, defenders cannot deliver a hit to a quarterback’s head or neck or strike below the knees and the throwing arm.
In fact, they cannot apply unnecessary force after the opponent releases the pass. The only exception to this rule is unavoidable contact during a slide, which did not apply in this case.
The referees, on the other hand, ruled the contact excessive and awarded the Browns fifteen yards and an automatic first down.
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However, Cleveland failed to convert the 14-yard drive lasting four plays into points and eventually punted.
As for Johnson, this was the first fine of his NFL career. Fortunately, he avoided steeper penalties, which can draw a fine as high as $17,389 when committed for the first time.
Sanders finished the game 11-of-22 for 111 yards and also rushed three times for 26 yards. This rookie season hasn’t been easy for Sanders, who started the last seven games for Cleveland after replacing fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel in Week 11.
While there were some promising showings, the player concluded the campaign with 1,400 passing yards, seven touchdowns, and ten interceptions.
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The Browns eventually finished last in the AFC North. Now, to not relive the struggles of 2025, they are searching for a new head coach after dismissing Kevin Stefanski, who just penned a farewell note to his team.
Shedeur Sanders’ ex-coach pens a goodbye note to Browns fandom
Kevin Stefanski’s journey with the Browns recently came to a close after six years full of highs and lows.
Since his firing, the former head coach has been interviewing with other franchises like the New York Giants and the Las Vegas Raiders.
Even the Baltimore Ravens have their eyes on him, per the team’s recent announcement. And yet, he managed to take a moment from his packed week to express his gratitude to the former team’s fandom.
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The former head coach took out a full-page ad in The Plain Dealer to thank the city and its fans, aka ‘Dawg Pound.’
“Thank you for your incredible support over the last six seasons,” he said via Cleveland.com. “I had a front -rowseat to the unmatched passion of Browns fans. The roars (and barks) from the crowd will always stay with me! Please know that I will always be indebted to this city, this community, and you, the fans of the Cleveland Browns.”
Since arriving in 2020, Stefanski has helped Cleveland produce a 45-56 regular-season record and make two playoff appearances in 2020 and 2023. During his time, he won the Coach of the Year award twice.
The first one came in 2020 when the Browns defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers in the wild-card round of the playoffs. It was a major milestone, as it was the franchise’s first postseason victory since 1994.
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He won his second Coach of the Year award for leading Cleveland back to the playoffs in 2023. He pulled it off despite losing a long list of players to injuries. Currently, he has interviews lined up with the Tennessee Titans and Atlanta Falcons.
The demand for Stefanski is high in the coaching market. Things are only looking up for the coach from here, and his supporters can’t wait to see where he ends up next.
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