The National Football League (NFL) has reissued a $25,000 fine to Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon for his comments regarding the officiating during a pivotal divisional round matchup. The decision came on Wednesday, following an initial fine levied for a misattributed quote. Mixon and his agent, Peter Schaffer, have expressed their intent to appeal the fine.
The controversy originated from comments made after the Kansas City Chiefs secured a 23-14 victory against the Texans. During the game, the Texans' defense was penalized twice, extending critical drives for the Chiefs and resulting in 10 points. After the match, Mixon was asked about the officiating, to which he responded, "Everybody knows how it is playing up here. You can never leave it into the refs' hands."
Initially, the NFL fined Mixon based on a quote that he did not say. The statement "50/50" was incorrectly attributed to him by Sports Illustrated but was actually made by former Bengals wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh. Houshmandzadeh's comment was a post on social media expressing agreement with Mixon's sentiments:
"Why play the game if every 50/50 call goes with the Chiefs. These officials are [trash] & bias." – T.J. Houshmandzadeh
Upon realizing the error, the NFL adjusted their reasoning for the fine, attributing it to Mixon's actual remarks rather than Houshmandzadeh's words. Mixon's clarified statement emphasized his frustration with officiating decisions:
"The whole world sees, man, what it is. When it comes down to it, you can never leave it into the refs' hands. It's all good, though." – Joe Mixon
Despite the adjustment, Mixon and his agent remain resolute in their plan to contest the fine. Schaffer told ESPN that they would pursue an appeal against the NFL's decision.
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