ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — For the first time this season, Buffalo Bills offensive tackle Dion Dawkins has been fined by the NFL.
Dawkins was fined $11,255 for unsportsmanlike conduct — specifically, taunting — during the Bills' Week 6 road victory against the New York Jets on Monday night.
"I don’t even know, (why). I got fined, though. I got fined like $11,000. I don’t know what happened, though," Dawkins said during Thursday's news conference. "I was surprised I got fined. They were in my face."
Later he joked, "I'm going to try to figure out a way to pay that."
Dawkins wasn't the only person in that Bills locker room who drew a fine this week. The NFL fined defensive back Taron Johnson $11,817 for unnecessary roughness, citing a low block in the third quarter.
The Dawkins penalty came with at the end of the third quarter and before the start of the fourth, when he was involved in a skirmish with Jets defensive lineman Quinnen Williams. The score was tied at 20 at the time.
Buffalo punted from its own 17 three plays later but went on to win 23-20.
This isn't the first time Dawkins got penalized for something that happened during a Jets game. Just last year, in Week 11, he was fined $10,927 for unnecessary roughness during a 32-6 home win.
That Dawkins penalty came with 12 minutes, 21 seconds to go in that victory. It happened after Dawkins and Jets defensive lineman Michael Clemons exchanged words.
The NFL announces player fines each Saturday afternoon during the regular season. This week, there were 24 plays resulting in fines for on-field discipline.
Bills fines from the NFL this season include:
- Week 1, O'Cyrus Torrence, unnecessary roughness (facemask), $7,855
- Week 4, Dawuane Smoot, unnecessary roughness (striking/kicking/kneeing), $8,156
- Week 6, Taron Johnson, unnecessary roughness (low block), $11,817
- Week 6, Dion Dawkins, unsportsmanlike conduct (taunting), $11,255