On Dec. 29, New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers struggled against an aggressive pass rush and was finally benched in the fourth quarter of a 40-14 loss to the Buffalo Bills.
Rodgers’ situation worsened on Saturday when the NFL imposed penalties for his attempt to play defense. After throwing an interception to Bills quarterback Christian Benford in the third quarter, Rodgers followed the play and shoved him after he was run out of bounds.
Rodgers was flagged for a late hit on the play, and the league issued additional penalties on Saturday.
Aaron Rodgers Receives Fine from NFL
According to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network, Rodgers received a punishment for his late hit on Benford on January 4.
“The NFL fined #Jets QB Aaron Rodgers $11,255 for unnecessary roughness — a late hit out of bounds after throwing an interception last week,” Pelissero wrote in a message to X.
The sanction was not surprising given that the NFL regulates the issuance of fines for players who commit late hits or receive flags for unnecessary roughness. The league even specifies out the mechanism for fines imposed on players, with increasing amounts for repeat offenders.
Rodgers labored in the loss, completing 12 of 18 throws for 112 yards, two interceptions, and four sacks, including a second-quarter safety. He was pulled early in the fourth quarter with the Bills leading 40-0, as backup and former Bills starter Tyrod Taylor led two touchdown drives against Buffalo’s backups.
Rodgers told reporters after the game that he knew he’d be benched after the Bills scored another touchdown on backup Mitch Trubisky’s first pass.
“I mean, the score was 33-0. We were sitting there, and I said, “You should probably go to Tyrod [Taylor] here, huh?” Then, on the next play, the Bills ran a screen for a score. “So it was 40-0,” Rodgers explained.
A big win for the Bills.
The win helped the Bills secure the AFC’s No. 2 overall seed, ensuring at least two home playoff games if they progress.
Though Buffalo’s season finale against the New England Patriots will have no bearing on their postseason standing, Bills quarterback Josh Allen stated he wants to start the game and keep his starting streak alive.
“It’s something that means a lot to me,” Allen told SI.com. “Just making sure I’ve been available and playing through things throughout the years. Yeah, it means a lot to me, so I’m delighted I can start.”
Allen is not anticipated to play beyond the first few snaps, and the team will likely keep him out of situations where he could be struck. This season, the Bills quarterback has dealt with several serious injuries, including fracturing his left hand on a touchdown run in Week 1 and having to play the entire season wearing a protective glove. Allen also injured his right arm in a Week 16 win over the Patriots, claiming he hit his funny bone and lost feeling in his throwing hand during the stretch.
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