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NFL fines Browns star Watson $35K for violations in loss / Photo: © GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP/File
NFL fines Browns star Watson $35K for violations in loss
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson was fined $35,513 by the NFL for an unsportsmanlike conduct and two unnecessary roughness violations in a 26-22 loss at Pittsburgh, the league announced Saturday.
In the Monday night defeat, Watson and Browns tight end David Njoku each made a machine gun-firing gesture to celebrate a third-quarter touchdown by Cleveland.
Both were fined $13,659 for unsportsmanlike gesture for the action.
Watson also was fined $10,927 each for two separate unnecessary roughness penalties, facemask violations made in the third and fourth quarters.
After the first such facemask call was made, Watson appeared to make contact with an official as he argued the play, but the NFL said on Tuesday that the contact did not rise to the level of a punishment.
"Officials are called upon to maintain order on the field, and sometimes while performing those duties, there is inadvertent contact between players and officials," an NFL statement said.
"In this instance, in their judgment, the contact did not rise to the level of a foul."
Watson signed one of the richest contracts in NFL history, a five-year deal worth $250 million, with the Browns last year.
Watson completed 22 of 40 passes for 235 yards and a touchdown with an interception against the Steelers, who scored a fourth-quarter touchdown to rally for the victory.
The Browns (1-1) play host to Tennessee (1-1) on Sunday.
O. Karlsson--BTZ
