Getty Josh Sweat of the Philadelphia Eagles.
Philadelphia Eagles pass rusher Josh Sweat became the fourth member of the team to receive a fine by the NFL so far this season.
Sweat was fined $16,391 for Roughing the Passer, according to Spotrac. The infraction was called for a hit Sweat put on New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson in the Eagles’ only loss of the year.
Sweat wasn’t penalized for the hit on Wilson during the game.
On the play for which he was fined, Sweat grabs Wilson’s feet and brings him down after the Jets QB had already thrown the ball. You can take a look at the play below.
Josh Sweat Becomes 4th Member of Eagles to Get Fined By NFL
Watching the play on which Sweat was fined, the most logical reason for the sanction is that he tackled Wilson after he threw, while also grabbing the QB’s legs.
Per the league’s official rulebook: “A rushing defender is prohibited from forcibly hitting in the knee area or below a passer who has one or both feet on the ground, even if the initial contact is above the knee. It is not a foul if the defender is blocked (or fouled) into the passer and has no opportunity to avoid him.”
Three other members of the Eagles have been fined through seven games this season. Safety Reed Blankenship was fined $4,843 for a Horse Collar Tackle Week 5, tight end Dallas Goedert received a $11,473 fine for a Face Mask infraction, also Week 5, and wide receiver A.J. Brown was hit with a $10,927 fine for Taunting Week 4.
Brown was penalized in the Eagles’ game against the Washington Commanders for a taunting penalty late in the game that could have proven more costly than it ultimately was. Blankenship was also flagged for the illegal tackle. Goedert, like Sweat, was not penalized in-game, but fined after the league reviewed that week’s games.
As far as penalties go, the Eagles are one of the least-penalized teams in the NFL. Per The Football Database, Philly has been flagged 34 times in seven games. That makes them the fourth-least penalized squad in the league. Guard Landon Dickerson leads the team in penalties (4).
What Do Josh Sweat’s Numbers Look Like So Far This Year?
This season:
Micah Parsons Josh Sweat
• 20 Tackles 19
• 37 Pressures 31
11 QB Hits 14 •
5 Sacks 6 •
1…
Sweat, 26, is on pace to have the best statistical season of his career. So far, through seven games, the veteran defensive end has 19 total tackles (five for loss), 5.5 sacks and two forced fumbles, which is tied for second in the NFL. Last season, in 16 games, Sweat finished with career highs in tackles (48), tackles-for-loss (15) and sacks (11.0).
As you can see in the above post on X courtesy of Philadelphia Eagles Central, Sweat’s current numbers are comparable to those of last year’s runner-up in Defensive Player of the Year voting, Dallas Cowboys pass rusher Micah Parsons.
“We just play aggressively,” Sweat said about Philly’s defense, per the Eagles’ official website. “We attack, we get off the ball, and we are always in the backfield. That is our biggest thing, especially for our defensive line.”
Next up for Sweat and the Eagles? Another battle on the road against the Commanders Week 8.