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Bears Duo Fined but None Issued on Play Causing Luther Burden's Concussion

The Bears receiver left the win over Tampa Bay after being knocked out on a helmet-to-helmet collision, but Buccaneers' Rueben Bain Jr. drew no fine for it.
Gene Chamberlain|
Austin Booker (94) celebrates a big stop with defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons (99) against Tampa Bay.
Austin Booker (94) celebrates a big stop with defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons (99) against Tampa Bay. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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Chicago Bears

It's uncertain yet whether Bears receiver Luther Burden will be over his concussion suffered against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in time to play against New Orleans in Week 11.

What is certain is some Bears fans won't like the fact Tampa Bay's Rueben Bain Jr. went without being penalized or fined for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Burden, causing the injury. Burden was knocked unconscious and fumbled on the play that occurred with 3:48 left to play, and Ifeatu Melifonwu's recovery at the Chicago 21 led to the Buccaneers coming back to tie the score late.

There was no penalty flag thrown, and when the league came out with fines Bain went unscathed. It's possible the league decided Burden had lowered his helmet as well, and initiated contact, but the NFL doesn't explain plays involving non-fines. At least the league didn't fine Burden for lowering his helmet to cause contact.

Tampa Bay didn't get by without a fine in the game for using a helmet to make a tackle. Neither did the Bears.

And the Bears wound up with more fines in what was a very physical game with the Buccaneers.

Tampa Bay's Keionte Scott received a $6,540 fine for using his helmet in stopping Bears receiver Kalif Raymond on an unpenalized 6-yard reception with 12:52 left in the second quarter. That was $7 less than what the league fined Bears edge rusher Austin Booker for when he was unpenalized for using his helmet with 30 seconds left in the first half. Baker Mayfield got the pass off but it was incomplete.

The fine against Booker for using his helmet was the fourth fine against the Bears this year for using the helmet. The biggest was $22,342 against Jahdae Walker in Week 2.

The NFL probably needs to be a little more consistent with how it throws out fines and penalties for plays involving helmet-to-helmet contact. Bain definitely made contact with the helmet but the play was similar to the play last year when Jordan Love was knocked out in a Packers game against the Bears on a hit by Booker. On that one, Love lowered his helmet much like Burden did, and then was knocked out. But Booker received a fine.

The Bears predictably had another fine in the game with Tampa Bay. Zavion Thomas was penalized for unnecessary roughness/striking, kicking or kneeing, with 8:37 left in the second quarter after he struck Tampa Bay cornerback Jacob Parrish following the play during a post-play dispute. It occurred directly in front of the referees and the Bears received a 15-yard penalty.

The penalty on Thomas after a 2-yard D'Andre Swift run to the Buccaneers 6 moved the ball back to the 21 and the left the Bears in a second-and-long, goal-to-go situation. Caleb Williams threw his first interception of four on the next play. The penalty also was the last play Thomas was in for on offense, as coach Ben Johnson pointed out to reporters afterward.

The two fines for the Bears were their first since cornerback Clark Phillips received an $11,550 fine for using his helmet against Seattle the previous week.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.

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