The Buccaneers have racked up 23 penalties through two weeks, including several personal fouls that have helped the Jets and Saints wind up winners in the first two weeks of the season.
Safety Dashon Goldson has been one of the chief culprits. He picked up a $30,000 fine for a helmet-to-helmet hit against Jets tight end Jeff Cumberland last week and then was flagged again for blasting Saints running back Darren Sproles while Sproles was trying to catch a pass on Sunday. It was a hit that is sure to catch the attention of the NFL and it could wind up being more than a fine for Goldson.
Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that the NFL is considering a suspension for Goldson because of the consecutive weeks with infractions added to a body of work that included 13 other personal fouls since 2010 and more than $70,000 in fines last season.
The league tried to suspend then-Ravens safety Ed Reed for similar reasons last season, but Reed wound up with a $50,000 fine after appealing the suspension. Reed was suspended after three hits in three seasons, a record that pales in comparison to Goldson’s run over the last few years, which may be enough for the NFL to try again with another safety whose hits they feel have crossed the line too often.