Chargers wide receiver Malcom Floyd had to be immobilized on a backboard, carted off the field and taken to the hospital after going down on a hit from Eagles linebacker DeMeco Ryans in San Diego’s Week Two victory.
Floyd will miss at least this week’s game while he recovers from a neck injury and Ryans will miss some money from his bank account after being fined. The NFL has confirmed that Ryans was fined $21,000 for striking a defenseless receiver in the head and neck with his shoulder.
The hit was less clear cut than many that result in fines. Floyd was being tackled from behind as he tried to reel in the throw from Philip Rivers and either lowered his head or had it forced down by the other defender before making contact with Ryans’ shoulder. There didn’t appear to be much that Ryans could do to avoid the hit and there didn’t appear to be any intent to land a blow to Floyd’s head on the play.
As Mike Florio reported earlier this week, though, the league felt Floyd was in a defenseless posture and that a flag would have been warranted on the play. None was thrown, but Ryans wasn’t able to avoid a fine.