The Lions complained after their loss to Minnesota that Vikings players took cheap shots at receiver Calvin Johnson and cornerback Chris Houston. The league office agrees with one of those.
The NFL has confirmed that Vikings linebacker Jasper Brinkley was fined $21,000 for unnecessary roughness for a play on which he made helmet to helmet contact with Johnson while Johnson was a defenseless receiver. It’s the second time this season that a Vikings linebacker has been fined $21,000 for taking a shot at Johnson; Chad Greenway was fined for an illegal hit on Johnson in the teams’ previous meeting.
But as for the hit that Houston complained about it, the NFL said there’s nothing to see there. Houston said Vikings guard Brandon Fusco intentionally took a shot at his ankle, but the NFL has confirmed that Fusco was not fined.
Also fined in the game were Vikings safety Mistral Raymond, who was fined $7,875 for unnecessary roughness for a hit on Lions receiver Mikel Leshoure, and Lions receiver Ryan Broyles, who was fined $10,000 for an illegal crackback block on Vikings cornerback Antoine Winfield.