Vikings cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. was fined $11,255 for taunting during last Sunday’s game against the Seahawks. After a big incompletion in the third quarter, Murphy stood over Seattle wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, briefly looking down at him. Although there was no penalty on the field at the time, the fine was issued after the fact.
According to the NFL’s Collective Bargaining Agreement (via Sportico), fines can be imposed for six categories of misconduct: offenses against game officials, player safety violations, fighting, poor sportsmanship, uniform violations, and gang signs. Murphy’s action falls under the sportsmanship category, though many might consider the fine for such a minor taunt, especially one that wasn’t penalized during the game, to be unnecessary.
Murphy, who has an $8.3 million base salary this year and $27 million in career earnings, will likely be fine financially, though no player enjoys losing money. The fine money does not go to the league but instead benefits the NFLPA Players Assistance Trust, which supports former players, and other charitable organizations.
In his sixth NFL season, Murphy is having a career year. As the Vikings’ top cornerback, he leads the team with six interceptions, 13 passes defended, a forced fumble, and five tackles for loss. At 27, he is positioning himself for a significant payday in free agency this spring.
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