Pittsburgh Steelers RB Jaylen Warren has had some money deducted from his bank account this season with two fines handed down by the NFL for leading with his helmet. They list it as unnecessary roughness on the gameday accountability log on the NFL’s operations website. The results of player appeals to these fines aren’t always public, but it was announced in early December that Warren had his fine from Week Seven rescinded upon appeal. Warren was an undrafted free agent and is still on his rookie contract, so every bit of money taken from him is significant compared to most players in the league.
This week, people have speculated that a huge lead block he threw in the Week 16 game against the Cincinnati Bengals could possibly draw a fine with Warren’s luck. Just the opposite happened as Warren was named the NFL Way to Play award winner for that hit, as announced on Good Morning Football Thursday morning.
The award is to players who show examples of proper playing technique each week in the NFL. Per the NFL operations website, the winner receives $5,000 that is given to a youth or high school football program of his choice.
“It’s now time to announce the NFL’s Way to Play recipient,” Jason McCourty said on Thursday morning’s episode of Good Morning Football. “This honor goes to a player who exemplified proper technique in Week 16…The winner this week, Kyle—this is one of your favorite guys—Steelers running back Jaylen Warren.”
This comes a week after WR George Pickens infamously opted to not block near the goal line for Warren against the Indianapolis Colts. Warren told the media that if he was in that situation he would block for Pickens. This wasn’t lead blocking for Pickens, but Warren backed up his talk by laying out LB Germaine Pratt on a block to pave the way for WR Calvin Austin III’s 7-yard touchdown run.
“It’s same foot, same shoulder. He delivers the blow. There’s no helmet, he knocks the guy down, makes a huge block for his teammate,” McCourty said. “He does it the right way.”
