3 players, including 2 Byron Murphys, fined for actions in Seahawks vs. Vikings game

If you’re an NFL played named Byron Murphy, you were just fined by the NFL.

There were a few fines handed out to the Seattle Seahawks and Minnesota Vikings following their dramatic Week 16 showdown.

If we go my chronological order, the first fine was for cornerback and special teams player Josh Jobe, who was dinged for an illegal blindside block on Vikings wide receiver Trent Sherfield in the second quarter. This wiped out an 18-yard punt return by Jaelon Darden and flipped field position dramatically, backing the Seahawks up in an eventual three-and-out.

Here’s why this was considered a blindside block instead of a block in the back.

It is a foul if a player initiates a block when his path is toward or parallel to his own end line and makes forcible contact to his opponent with his helmet, forearm, or shoulder, unless the contact occurs in close-line play prior to the ball leaving that area

Jobe’s fine was $5,472.

The next fine was for Minnesota Vikings cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. He was docked $11,255 for taunting Jaxon Smith-Njigba after a stop on third down in the third quarter. Minnesota was up 20-17 at the time and this taunting infraction was not flagged, otherwise it would’ve been a drive-extending penalty.

And lastly, the Seahawks’ Byron Murphy II was docked $11,255 for his critical face mask penalty on quarterback Sam Darnold. That took away Murphy’s first full sack of his rookie season, and the bigger cost was the Vikings scoring the winning touchdown on the next play.