Bruce Irvin, Rob Gronkowski, More Fined by NFL for Super Bowl Brawl

Four players—two each from the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks—were fined by the NFL for their roles in the scuffle in the final moments of Super Bowl XLIX.

Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network notes Bruce Irvin and Michael Bennett were the Seahawks involved and will pay more than $18,000 combined:

He also adds the figures for Rob Gronkowski and Michael Hoomanawanui of the Patriots, who will pay identical fines of more than $8,000:

Tempers flared after the Patriots took over the ball following Malcolm Butler's interception of a Russell Wilson pass to secure the victory for New England. A brawl broke out after Tom Brady kneeled on the game's second-to-last play.

Almost every player on the field was involved either in the fracas itself or trying to break it up. Eric Edholm of Yahoo Sports passed along comments Gronkowski made during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! about the incident:

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I got pushed or something, and it was the last game of the year and I was like, 'Screw it, I'm throwing some haymakers.' They just started coming at us. We were just trying to take a knee. [It] just happens; it's football. Just emotions [some] going. It's football, things happen."

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Eventually, order was restored, and the Patriots took the final knee and secured their fourth Super Bowl championship. The NFL decided those four players were the main culprits, and their checkbooks will be slightly lighter heading into the offseason as a result.

It's unfortunate such a memorable game was marred by the ending. But it does illustrate the intense emotion involved, especially considering the manner in which the Patriots held on. That probably makes the fines a little easier to accept for the New England duo.