The NFL takes rule violations seriously, especially when it comes to injury reports. Any form of subterfuge or gamesmanship related to injury reporting is absolutely not tolerated. There’s no gray area—messing with an injury report can result in massive fines and, in some cases, even more severe punishments.
Recently, the Baltimore Ravens have come under investigation regarding the listed status of their two-time NFL MVP quarterback, Lamar Jackson, leading up to their Week 8 victory over the Chicago Bears. According to the injury report during that week, Jackson was expected to play against the Bears, but he did not. Instead, Tyler Huntley started at quarterback and led the Ravens to a 30-16 win.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport commented on the situation on Thursday, October 30, just before the Ravens faced the Miami Dolphins on Thursday Night Football in Week 9. “There could be a significant fine, and there could be a punishment of losing draft picks,” Rapoport said. While a fine for the Ravens seems likely, the potential loss of draft picks would send a strong message across the league.
### Ravens Said One Thing, Did Another
Jackson had missed the previous three games after injuring his hamstring in Week 4 but made his return for the Thursday Night Football game against the Dolphins. The NFL has been investigating why Jackson was listed as a full practice participant during the week prior to playing the Bears, yet he only took scout team reps. This is a direct violation of the NFL’s policy on injury reports.
Ravens head coach John Harbaugh has denied any wrongdoing related to Jackson’s injury report status. “It really is an honest mistake,” Harbaugh told ESPN’s Jamison Hensley on October 26. “I can tell you this: Nobody’s trying to hide anything. There’s no advantage to be gained with that.”
However, the Chicago Bears might disagree, as they likely spent considerable time preparing for a game featuring Jackson, only to face Huntley instead—two vastly different quarterbacks.
### Previous Penalties for Injury Report Violations
In recent years, the league has fined teams and coaches over similar incidents. In 2023, former Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith was fined $25,000, and the team was fined $75,000 in a case involving running back Bijan Robinson.
In 2019, Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin was fined $25,000, and the team was fined $75,000 over a similar injury report violation involving former quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.
### Losing Draft Picks: A More Severe Punishment
The NFL only takes draft picks from teams when violations are particularly severe. While the Ravens likely aren’t facing the loss of a first-round pick, there have been three instances where such penalties were enforced—twice involving the same team.
The New England Patriots lost their 2008 first-round pick due to the Spygate scandal. They lost another first-round pick in 2016 because of Deflategate, when quarterback Tom Brady was found to have illegally altered the pressure of game footballs.
The Miami Dolphins are the only other team to have lost a first-round pick recently, due to tampering allegations in 2023. In that case, Dolphins owner Stephen Ross was fined $1.5 million and suspended through the first month of the regular season. Vice chairman Bruce Beal was also fined $500,000.
### Conclusion
As the NFL continues to investigate the Ravens’ injury report situation, the league’s strict stance on transparency and fairness remains clear. Fines and draft pick penalties serve not only as punishment but also as a deterrent against any attempts to manipulate injury information for competitive advantage.
https://heavy.com/sports/nfl/baltimore-ravens/nfl-investigation-fine-draft-picks-penalty/
