Chicago Bears wide receiver DJ Moore ran afoul of the league and has incurred a secondary penalty as a result. It will leave him lighter in the pocket and serve as an unfortunate reminder of the moment.
The incident occurred during the Bears’ Week 12 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Moore was penalized during the contest.
However, the NFL always announces punishments on Saturday of the following week.
Bears WR DJ Moore Receives Punishment From NFL Over Steelers Game
DJ Moore Gets Bad News From NFL After Bears’ Win
According to the NFL’s Football Operations portal on November 29, Moore received an $11,593 fine for “unsportsmanlike conduct” over “taunting” Steelers cornerback James Pierre, tossing the ball at the Pittsburgh defender after making a catch. That is standard for first-time occurrences.
The incident occurred during the third quarter of the contest.
Moore (5-64-2) scored the second of his touchdowns two plays later. It was then that he committed another potential infraction, tossing the ball into the stands.
That carries a penalty of $8,114 for first-time infractions, per the league. However, there is no mention of that being among the fines in the weekly update, nor was Moore punished for the celebration during the game, a 31-28 Bears victory.
Moore downplayed the penalty.
He joked that he incurred the penalty to give himself enough room for the TD, a 25-yard deep shot from Caleb Williams, and that he was “going for two” penalties on the celebration.
Signed through 2029 on a four-year, $110 million contract, the fine is a drop in the bucket in the grand scheme. Surely, though, Moore is no different than anyone else in wanting to surrender his hard-earned money.
Unfortunately, the NFL rules for his situation are clear, and the league followed them to a T.
He is, however, fortunate that no other punishment was levied against him and that the incident did not ultimately cost the Bears a win.
Moore had a rather quiet day in the win over the Philadelphia Eagles. However, his versatility has been a significant asset this season. Moreover, the Bears are likely to need him to have a couple of big games before the campaign ends.
Moore’s production will level out, just like everyone else, once the offense fires fully.
Their rushing attack has taken a significant step forward in recent weeks. Their passing game has taken a dip in that time, but there is reason to believe they can have both clicking soon.
Up next for Moore and the Bears are the Green Bay Packers, the most immediate threat to their supremacy atop the NFC North and inarguably the biggest bugaboo left on the schedule from a historical standpoint.
A win in Week 14 could catapult the Bears’ already-soaring confidence into the stratosphere.