The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Hit on Mayfield expected to draw fine for Whitehead
The explanation didn’t make any sense at the time. Days later, Baker Mayfield remains baffled.
After the Browns rookie quarterback was blasted in the helmet on Sunday by Tampa Bay safety Jordan Whitehead, who lowered his head to deliver the blow on Mayfield, referee Shawn Hochuli added a layer of confusion to a controversial play with his reason for not calling a penalty.
“The quarterback is still a runner and therefore is allowed to be hit in the head,” Hochuli announced. “He had not yet begun his slide. There is therefore no foul.”
Mayfield can’t grasp that explanation.
“No words,” an incredulous Mayfield said Wednesday. “Honestly. No words.”
Mayfield said he didn’t initially hear Hochuli’s comments, mainly because he was focused on calling the Browns’ next play.
Once he found out, Mayfield was dumbfounded.
“I thought that’s why they put the rule in,” Mayfield said. “But we’ll see.”
The NFL is expected to fine Whitehead for his helmet-to-helmet hit on Mayfield, a person familiar with league discipline told The Associated Press on Wednesday.
Mayfield had begun to slide at the end of a 35yard scramble when he was drilled by Whitehead, who used the crown of his helmet to plaster the No. 1 overall pick.
Whitehead should have been flagged for unnecessary roughness or unsportsmanlike conduct, said the person who spoke on condition of anonymity because the league has not commented on calls from last week’s games.
The league, which has placed an extra emphasis on protecting quarterbacks, has been announcing fines on Saturday. If Whitehead is punished, it will be public confirmation that the play should have been penalized.