Geno Smith fined for taunting penalty, Isaiah Simmons not fined for injuring Smith

Geno Smith was pretty heated after suffering a knee injury against the New York Giants last Monday, and that’s cost him some money.

The NFL has not only not fined Isaiah Simmons for his tackle on Smith that resulted in the injury, but Smith’s subsequent unsportsmanlike conduct/taunting penalty early in the 3rd quarter did result in some monetary punishment for the Seattle Seahawks quarterback.

For the record, Simmons’ tackle wasn’t flagged during the game, so the only way for him to get a fine is if the league office deemed a penalty should’ve been called. Technically speaking, even though Smith viewed it as a “dirty” play, Simmons began the tackle in bounds and there wasn’t a horse collar pull.

Smith was heated in the immediate aftermath of this incident, and when he returned to the game he was dinged for a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after he pointed and presumably said something towards the Giants sideline. This standard of penalty is pretty much an automatic fine and not something that’s arbitrarily decided on a case-by-case basis.

All of this is to say that while this is technically a legal play, it probably wasn’t necessary, so if there’s any element of unfairness it’s the ridiculousness of how taunting is adjudicated in the NFL.

Thankfully, Smith just about avoided serious injury, so he should be all systems go next week against the Cincinnati Bengals.