D.J. Wonnum’s next NFL check will include a deduction in the amount of $16,282 after the National Football League determined that his sack of Packers quarterback Jordan Love last Sunday was too rough.
Wonnum dumped Love for a sack late in the first quarter of Minnesota’s 24-10 win. The 26-year-old edge rusher wasn’t flagged for roughing the passer on the play, but the NFL evidently says a flag should’ve been thrown, thus the fine. The replay is in the tweet below.
Defense is getting after it early.
@DWonnum
đź“ş: @NFLonFOX pic.twitter.com/W9y7ehS3Mj
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) October 29, 2023
It’s not clear what exactly Wonnum did wrong, but the best assumption is that he landed on top of Love with a good amount of his body weight rather than trying to hold himself up to avoid crashing on top of Love. It’s part of the rule that was instituted after Aaron Rodgers broke his collar bone in 2016 when ex-Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr made a big hit.
Wonnum joins Jordan Hicks, Harrison Smith, Justin Jefferson, Troy Dye and Dean Lowry as Vikings who have been fined after the fact by the NFL this season.
