Patriots’ rookie linebacker Marte Mapu fined for pointless roughness in opposition to Dolphins’ extensive receiver Jaylen Waddle

Patriots

Mapu owes the NFL $5,620 for his Sept. 17 helmet-to-helmet hit on Waddle.

Marte Mapu has performed a flexible defensive position for the Patriots by way of his first two weeks within the NFL. Winslow Townson/AP Photos for Panini

The NFL fined Patriots’ linebacker Marte Mapu $5,620 Saturday afternoon for a helmet-to-helmet hit he dedicated in opposition to Miami Dolphins’ extensive receiver Jaylen Waddle.

The primary-year defender was penalized for pointless roughness in opposition to Waddle throughout New England’s Week 2 dwelling recreation in opposition to the Dolphins.

The hit occurred late within the fourth quarter when Miami quarterback Tua Tagavailoa focused Waddle on a second-and-five cross. One other Patriots’ linebacker, Matthew Judon, was protecting the receiver and deflected the ball. Mapu tackled Waddle from the proper aspect whereas the wideout was nonetheless within the air and made helmet contact along with his head, leading to a 15-yard pointless roughness flag.

Waddle was faraway from the sport and entered concussion protocol following the hit. After being restricted in Dolphins’ follow this week and listed as questionable on account of his concussion for Week 3 on Friday, Waddle is dominated out for Sunday in opposition to the Denver Broncos.

Head coach Invoice Belichick might be seen giving an earful to a referee in expressing his disagreement with the penalty:

His protection didn’t just like the flag, both:

Belichick didn’t bench Mapu following the non-public foul name in a recreation that featured an obvious benching of rookie extensive receiver Demario Douglas after committing an early fumble.

The monetary sanction in opposition to Mapu marks the primary handed out to a New England participant in 2023. 

The 23-year-old has performed each linebacker and security for the Patriots this season. Mapu performed 47 percent of the team’s defensive snaps in opposition to the Dolphins.

New England travels to East Rutherford, N.J. to face the New York Jets for a 1:00 p.m. EST kickoff on Sunday.