The Week 12 “Monday Night Football” matchup between the San Francisco 49ers and the Carolina Panthers ended in controversy after a postgame brawl broke out between 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings and Panthers safety Tre’von Moehrig.
On Saturday, the NFL ensured that both parties involved in the incident were dealt disciplinary actions.
Earlier this week, the NFL announced that Moehrig would be forced to miss the Panthers Week 13 game against the Los Angeles Rams after being dealt a one-game suspension.
While Jennings did start the postgame altercation, it was determined that he was responding to being punched below the belt by Moehrig late in the fourth quarter of Monday’s game.
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Unfortunately for Jennings, the NFL did not absolve him of his actions after the game.
According to 49ers beat reporter Matt Maiocco, the NFL has handed him down a $12,172 fine for retaliating against Moehrig at the conclusion of Monday’s game.
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Given how the NFL has handled similar altercations this season, this decision from the league is far from unexpected.
Notably, Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Jalen Ramsey received a fine for a similar amount after his Week 11 brawl with Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase. Much like Moehrig, Chase was dealt a one-game suspension after being determined to be the aggressor by spitting on Ramsey.
The precedent has clearly been set by the league that altercations, regardless of the circumstances and who the aggressor is, will result in punishments for both sides.
This decision from the NFL obviously isn’t ideal for Jennings. However, it is as good of news as the 49ers could have hoped for given the circumstances.
San Francisco is set to face off against the Cleveland Browns in a crucial Week 13 game for the 49ers to stay in the highly competitive NFC Wild Card race. Sitting at 8-4, the likes of the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys are closely trailing them for the final Wild Card spot in the conference.
Having Jennings at their disposal on offense should certainly go a long way in San Francisco’s attempt to stave off an upset attempt from the Browns, who seem to have new life with Shedeur Sanders under center.
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