Chargers' Derwin James receives big fine letter from NFL for actions vs. Raiders

The Los Angeles Chargers slipped past the Las Vegas Raiders to reach 2-0 in Week 2 but didn’t escape the NFL league office and fine letters.

According to the NFL’s weekly fine updates, Chargers safety Derwin James was issued a hefty $17,389 fine for unnecessary roughness in the second quarter of the win over the Raiders.

The league’s website classified James’ infraction as a “leg whip.”

ESPN’s Kris Rhim tracked down the play in question, which features James attempting to bring down Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty:

The NFL fined Derwin James $17,389 for unnecessary roughness, citing this “leg whip” on Raiders RB Ashton Jeanty pic.twitter.com/1WtMHpbULv
— Kris Rhim (@krisrhim1) September 20, 2025

The issue there, as the name implies, is James getting tangled up in a way that suggests he’s attempting to trip down the ball-carrier in a way that could cause injury.

Of course, whether the intent was to trip or tackle in such a manner would be very hard to discern. The spin move Jeanty put on James to shake free certainly doesn’t help things.

Given that, James will undoubtedly appeal and might just have a good chance at winning.

James has an extensive fine history in the NFL, though, which included a suspension early last season for repeated health and safety violations. How that plays into things here remains to be seen.

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