Falcons DE fined by NFL for unnecessary roughness vs. Packers

· Yahoo Sports

Atlanta Falcons defensive end Cameron Thomas has been fined $8,333 by the NFL for a committing an unnecessary roughness penalty against the Green Bay Packers in Week 3, according to ESPN's Marc Raimondi.

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Thomas was disciplined for his "use of the helmet" in the fourth quarter of the Falcons' 35-14 victory on Thursday Night Football. The 26-year-old signed a one-year deal with the Falcons in free agency and has been a key member of their defensive line rotation thus far.

Atlanta's defense has been stellar against both the run and the pass this season. Thomas currently ranks second on the team with 1.5 sacks and is tied for first in forced fumbles with safety Xavier Watts.

The former third-round pick is on pace to shatter his previous career-high three sacks he recorded as a rookie with the Arizona Cardinals.

Thomas isn't the only Falcons player to be fined by the NFL this season. Last week, left tackle Jake Matthews was fined $11,941 for an unnecessary roughness (face-mask) penalty he committed in the second quarter of the team's Week 2 loss to the Panthers.

The Falcons aren't alone in receiving fines this season, as the NFL has been handing them out like hotcakes over the first month of the last few weeks.

In Week 3, another six players received major infractions, according to NFL insider Tom Pelissero.

The NFL surely doesn't need the money, and one might say it's somewhat hypocritical for players to be fined when they don't even have fully guaranteed contacts.

Fair or not, though, the league has all the power and that's not going to change anytime soon.

This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Falcons DE fined by NFL for unnecessary roughness vs. Packers

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