Fines handed down from Bengals’ win over Steelers

Another Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cincinnati Bengals game and another round of fines to go along with it after the fact.

Bengals linebacker Germaine Pratt received the biggest fine, $22,511 for his hit to the head on Steelers running back Najee Harris. ESPN rules analyst Russell Yurk said during the game that Pratt could have been flagged, and the NFL’s fine suggests they thought he should have been penalized. But he wasn’t alone.

Fellow Bengals linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither was fined $14,956 for his hip-drop tackle on Steelers wide receiver George Pickens. Pickens, meanwhile, was fined $22,511 for a facemask violation.

Davis-Gaither led the Bengals in tackles with 12 on Saturday with eight solo and one for a loss. Pratt, meanwhile, finished the game with five tackles and a tackle for loss on Saturday. The Bengals defense held Pickens to one catch and zero yards on Saturday.

Now that we’re in the offseason, it’s going to be interesting to see if Pratt and Davis-Gaither are both back next season. Pratt signed an extension prior to the 2023 season, so he’s locked in for next season, while Davis-Gaither has been in Cincinnati since the Bengals drafted him in 2020 but is set to be a free agent. The same thing occurred this past offseason before he re-signed with Cincinnati on a one-year deal.

Pratt authored one of the most memorable moments in franchise history with his interception to break the 31-year curse and playoff drought for the Bengals. Davis-Gaither had an interception against the Ravens in the NFL Playoffs the following season.