Joe Mixon, running back for the Houston Texans, has successfully overturned a $25,000 fine imposed by the NFL. The fine originally stemmed from comments Mixon allegedly made after the Texans’ playoff loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, but hearing officer Chris Palmer, a former NFL coach, ruled in Mixon’s favor after reviewing the situation.
Palmer’s one-page decision, dated Tuesday, highlighted Mixon’s explanation during the appeal hearing. “As you know, statements can be interpreted differently by every individual and it seems like you clearly understand the weight and detriment of public criticism towards officials can be, given how impactful your platform is as a player, which I appreciate,” Palmer wrote.
He emphasized the importance of maintaining the integrity of the game and its officials as a collective responsibility within the NFL. Ultimately, Palmer determined that Mixon’s comments did not constitute public criticism of officials, leading to the rescinding of the fine.
The controversy began when the league initially misattributed critical remarks to Mixon. The statement in question -“Why play the game if every 50/50 call goes with Chiefs. These officials are trash and bias.“- was actually posted on social media by former Bengals receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh. The NFL mistakenly interpreted an SI.com article to conclude that Mixon had made the comments and fined him accordingly. Upon realizing their error, the league issued a revised fine for what Mixon did say post-game, which was considerably less inflammatory.
Mixon’s fine rescinded after misunderstanding of officials’ critique
Mixon’s actual remarks were far more measured. Following a game that included questionable personal foul calls for hits on Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, Mixon stated, “Everybody knows how it is playing up here. You can never leave it in the refs’ hands. The whole world see, man.” These comments reflect frustration but stop short of outright criticism of officiating.
The NFL’s handling of the situation drew scrutiny, as it appeared to overreach in an attempt to recover from its initial mistake. The decision to rescind the fine underscores a broader issue with how player comments are interpreted and penalized. Mixon’s case serves as a reminder of the need for fairness and accuracy in such disciplinary actions, especially when player reputations and financial penalties are at stake.
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