Jordan Whitehead Fined $26,739 for Helmet-to-Helmet Hit on Baker Mayfield

Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Jordan Whitehead avoided a penalty for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield in Week 7, but the NFL made sure he received at least some discipline for the play.

While acknowledging the hit should have drawn a flag, the league fined Whitehead $26,739, according to ESPN. 

The officials initially threw a flag on the play but picked it up, along with one against Mayfield for taunting. Per ESPN, referee Shawn Hochuli declared that Mayfield "was still a runner and therefore is allowed to be hit in the head."

That explanation left the rookie quarterback speechless.

"No words," Mayfield said, per ESPN. "Honestly, no words. ... I thought that's why they put the rule in."

Back in March, the league implemented a new helmet rule that says a penalty should be called if a player "lowers his head to initiate and make contact with his helmet against an opponent."

Cleveland coach Hue Jackson also took issue with the referees picking up the flag against Whitehead.

"To me, the guy shouldn't have hit our player in the head, first of all," Jackson said, per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. "And obviously our guy got up and he tossed the ball to the official. Obviously the guy was close by, but the bottom line is our guy shouldn't be getting hit in the head. I don't care about some taunting foul. We're talking about our quarterback taking a shot in the head and sliding. I think that's wrong. Totally wrong."

Browns linebacker Christian Kirksey even took to social media to directly call out the refs: "I guess we play against the Refs as well as our opponent."

NFL head of officiating Al Riveron admitted Friday that the officials made the incorrect call and explained a foul should have been called because Whitehead lowered his helmet and Mayfield should have been protected by the slide rule (0:52 mark):

Down 23-16 midway through the fourth, Cleveland would go on to drive to the goal line even without the help of a flag as it looked for the equalizing score. The drive would stall, though, as the Browns turned the ball over on downs at the 1-yard line.

Tampa Bay would pull out a 26-23 victory in overtime.