Bear Digest

Fine Given to Cardinals Player for Faskmasking Josh Blackwell

Joey Blount got away with yanking DB Josh Blackwell's facemask in Sunday's game at Arizona but didn't escape the eyes of the league and had to pay for it.
Gene Chamberlain|
The Bears went without a fine or suspension from last week's game but the Cardinals apparently didn't.
The Bears went without a fine or suspension from last week's game but the Cardinals apparently didn't. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Cardinals beat up the Bears last week physically but had to pay for it out of pocket.

Arizona safety/punt gunner Joey Blount got fined $16,883 for reaching out and grabbing the facemask of Bears outside blocker Josh Blackwell on an Arizona punt with 4:34 left in the first quarter.


It's apparent on the replay Blout meant to get the facemask and yanked it hard enough to throw Blackwell off blance. As a result, Blount raced past Blackwell. The punt return went only 7 yards to the Bears 16 on the play.

The game officials did not penalize the Cardinals.

Twitter: BearsOnSI

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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.