The Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost Chris Godwin for the season during their Week 7 game against the Baltimore Ravens when he dislocated his ankle after being brought down by Baltimore linebacker Roquan Smith. Smith was initially fined for committing what the NFL believed was a hip-drop tackle, but that decision didn’t stick after an appeal.
Smith appealed the fine, and on Tuesday, it was annoucned that NFL hearing officer Jordy Nelson — yes, that Jordy Nelson — heard the case and rescinded the fine given to Smith for the tackle on Godwin. Had the fine stuck, it would have cost Smith $16,883 dollars.
Upon appeal, NFL hearing officer Jordy Nelson has rescinded the $16,883 fine levied against Ravens LB Roquan Smith for his alleged unnecessary roughness on Chris Godwin on the play that ended in the Bucs WR dislocating his ankle, per source. pic.twitter.com/nLFO69e2pE
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 12, 2024
While the exact logic in rescinding the fine isn’t known, it can be assumed that the NFL detirmined that the hit on Godwin was not, in fact, a hip drop tackle. The NFL made hip-drop tackles illegal this past offseason but have only enforced them with fines, not with flags on the field.
The Bucs lost Mike Evans to a hamstring injury that game as well, but Evans is expected to return to play after the bye week. Godwin, however, will be gone for the season, and he’ll have to be replaced by other players like Jalen McMillan, Trey Palmer and Ryan Miller.