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Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive back Jordan Whitehead (31) hits Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 21, 2018, in Tampa, Fla. A person familiar with NFL discipline says Tampa Bay safety Jordan Whitehead is expected to be fined for his helmet-to-helmet hit on Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield. Whitehead struck a sliding Mayfield in the fourth quarter and should've been flagged for unnecessary roughness or unsportsmanlike conduct, said the person who spoke Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2018, to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the league has not commented on calls from last weekā€™s games. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive back Jordan Whitehead (31) hits Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 21, 2018, in Tampa, Fla. A person familiar with NFL discipline says Tampa Bay safety Jordan Whitehead is expected to be fined for his helmet-to-helmet hit on Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield. Whitehead struck a sliding Mayfield in the fourth quarter and should've been flagged for unnecessary roughness or unsportsmanlike conduct, said the person who spoke Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2018, to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the league has not commented on calls from last weekā€™s games. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)Jason Behnken/Associated Press

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

Kyle Newport
Oct 27, 2018

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.Ā 

The officials initially threw a flag on the play but picked it up, along with one againstĀ MayfieldĀ for taunting. Per ESPN, referee ShawnĀ HochuliĀ declared thatĀ MayfieldĀ "was still a runner and therefore is allowed to be hit in the head."

That explanation left the rookie quarterback speechless.

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

Back in March, the league implemented a newĀ helmet ruleĀ 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 guyĀ shouldn't have hit our player in the head, first of all," Jackson said, perĀ Mary Kay CabotĀ 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 guyĀ shouldn'tĀ 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 ChristianĀ KirkseyĀ even took toĀ social mediaĀ to directly call out the refs: "I guess we play against the Refs as well as our opponent."

NFL head of officiating AlĀ RiveronĀ admitted Friday that the officials made the incorrect call and explained a foul should have been called because Whitehead lowered his helmetĀ andĀ MayfieldĀ should have been protected by the slide ruleĀ (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.

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