The NFL’s teams have finally gotten the message. Or at least they did for a week.
Per a league source, there were no fake-injury issues during the Week 14 games that concluded with Monday night’s 27-14 win by the Patriots over the Cardinals.
Some Eagles fans complained about an allegedly fake injury when a Giants defender took a seat before a third and one play. Per the source, it was determined that the player suffered a real injury (hamstring), and that there was no effort to secure a competitive advantage by pretending to be hurt.
As reported over the weekend, the NFL has imposed fines on five different teams for allegedly fake injuries during the 2022 season. The league made the subject a point of discussion during the league meetings in March, with a reminder issued during training camp and via memo sent on December 2.
Most recently, the Saints and Bengals were fined for injuries allegedly faked by Saints defensive end Cam Jordan and Bengals safety Jessie Bates. The Saints and Jordan have strongly objected to the contention; the Bengals haven’t said a word.
The league feels compelled to take significant action in response to perceived or actual fake injuries because such behavior secures a competitive advantage and undermines the integrity of the game. At a time of increased legalized wagering, the league believes it cannot ignore conduct aimed at unfairly slowing down an offense at a time when the defense is on its heels.
The league now has its teams on their heels, making them think twice about using pretend injuries in order to secure a real edge.