The NFL doesn’t only ban head-first hits to prevent players from injuring their opponents. The league also cracks down on those hits to protect players from injuring themselves.
Case in point, Panthers tight end Tommy Tremble, who gave himself a concussion by lowering his helmet into a tackler on Sunday against the Bears. The NFL has fined Tremble $17,083 for that.
Tremble wasn’t penalized on the play, but he absolutely should have been. It was a textbook example of what ball carriers are not allowed to do: He made no attempt to evade contact and instead lowered the crown of his own helmet directly into the helmet of Bears safety Jaquan Brisker, who also suffered a concussion. Brisker was not fined, as he did not lower the crown of his helmet in the collision.
Tremble also lost a fumble when he knocked himself out on the play.
