Cardinals’ Kyzir White was fined $18,056 by the NFL authorities for ‘unnecessary roughness’ against the Commanders’ Sam Howell in last week’s opener.
In the opening game of the 2023 NFL season, Washington Commanders’ quarterback Sam Howell received a harsh introduction when facing the Arizona Cardinals. During the first quarter of the game, the young quarterback executed a rollout play, moving toward the left sideline.
As he approached the line of scrimmage, it seemed like Howell had decided to abandon the play and was stepping out of bounds. However, Cardinals defender Kyzir White had other plans and delivered a punishing hit to Howell just as he crossed the boundary, resulting in a violent collision.
Notably, Kyzir White’s hit on Sam Howell was not only severe but also deemed illegal. The officials promptly flagged White for unnecessary roughness, a personal foul penalty that awarded the Commanders 15 yards and an automatic first down.
Such a forceful hit sometimes leads to an ejection from the game, but in this instance, the officials decided against it for Kyzir White.
Following the illegal hit, a skirmish erupted along the sidelines. It began when several offensive players from the Commanders sought retribution on behalf of Sam Howell.
Initially, their anger was directed at Kyzir White, triggering a chain reaction. Cardinals players swiftly joined the fracas, resulting in a full-scale confrontation involving both teams.
Also Read: Travis Kelce, Chris Jones to make season debut against Jaguars in NFL Week 2
Fortunately, when the dust settled, no injuries were reported. Sam Howell briefly left the game to recover from the hit but was able to return after a brief absence.
This was a welcome development for the Commanders, as Howell is expected to serve as their starting quarterback for the first time in his career. He was drafted by the Washington Commanders in the 2022 NFL draft last year.
The late hit by Kyzir White resulted in a flag for unnecessary roughness and a personal foul penalty, costing the Arizona Cardinals 15 yards and granting the opposing offense an automatic first down.
