UPDATE (11:30 a.m.): Vontaze Burfict wasn’t fined or suspended for his hit on New England Patriots tight end Martellus Bennett on Sunday. The Cincinnati Bengals linebacker was, however, fined $75,000 for stomping on running back LeGarrette Blount, according to Pro Football Talk’s Zac Jackson.
ORIGINAL STORY: Vontaze Burfict made a pair of seemingly dirty plays Sunday, but it looks like his actions won’t keep him off the field.
The Cincinnati Bengals don’t expect the NFL to suspend Burfict for an incident in which he appeared to stomp on New England Patriots running back LeGarrette Blount after a touchdown, league sources told ESPN.com’s Ed Werder.
In fact, the Bengals are expecting Burfict to receive no more than a “slap on the wrist for now,” which likely would indicate a minor fine, a team source told Werder.
Burfict’s alleged stomp on Blount, which the NFL reportedly already has reviewed, wasn’t the Bengals linebacker’s only questionable act in Sunday’s game, a 35-17 Patriots win. Burfict also delivered a low hit on New England tight end Martellus Bennett in the fourth quarter that caused tempers to flare between the two teams. The league has reviewed that hit, as well, but has yet to mete out punishment.
Burfict already served a three-game suspension this season for violating the league’s player safety policy after his helmet-to-helmet hit on Antonio Brown in last season’s AFC Wild Card Game. He’s also been fined a total of eight times for on-field incidents, according to ESPN.com.
Thumbnail photo via Aaron Doster/USA TODAY Sports Images
