NFL Announces Punishment for Lions Player for Baker Mayfield Actions
The Detroit Lions had a victorious showing during their Week 7 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Ford Field on Sunday, October 19. When the clock went down to zero at the end of the fourth, the Lions walked out of there with a 24-9 score and a winning record of 5-2 going into their bye week. That win even pushed the Detroit Lions to the top of NFL Power Rankings, with both ESPN and the NFL’s Week 8 Power Rankings having them at No. 1.
But, NFL games are packed drama and antics, and the Lions vs. Buccaneers game was no exception. There were heated moments during the contest, and one of them landed one Detroit Lions player a hefty penalty from the NFL.
Every week during the regular NFL season, the league penalizes players for their actions in the previous week’s games. The NFL notes on their website that these actions are “to protect players from unnecessary risk and preserve competitive balance and game integrity, the NFL and NFL Players Association have agreed on a set of game-related rules violations that may result in accountability measures.” The new roster of players getting hit with punishments goes up every Saturday afternoon.
Detroit Lions Player Hit With NFL Repremend
In the NFL’s report for Week 7, defensive end Tyrus Wheat was slapped with a $5,722 fine for “unnecessary roughness” and “striking/kicking/tripping/kneeing.” Specifically, in this instance, Wheat tripped Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield in the pocket while trying to make a pass. In the game, the refs didn’t call it as a foul against the Detroit Lions and instead gave Wheat the sack. Now, they’re making good on that misstep in the game with the postgame fine.
According to the NFL, those fines will go to the Professional Athletes Foundation to “support legends in need and the NFL Foundation to further support the health, safety and wellness of athletes across all levels, including youth football and the communities that support the game.”
Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Rachaad White was hit with a fine for his actions during the Lions game, too. His fine was a whopping $46,371 for “use of the helmet.”
Detroit Lions Week 8 Stats
As mentioned above, the Detroit Lions are topping Week 8 power rankings from NFL analysts and experts, which is a great thing for the Motor City. ESPN has the Lions at No. 1, along with the NFL’s official website.
In a feature published on Tuesday, October 21, Eric Edholm of the NFL’s website says of the Lions’ “Jared Goff’s pick before halftime helped gift the Buccaneers points, but the Lions’ offense responded with a touchdown on its first drive of the third quarter and the defense played incredibly well all night, especially considering the circumstances.” He adds, “The Lions might have taken the Chiefs’ best punch in Week 6, but they took out their frustrations on a good Bucs team that they might see again in January.”
Fox Sports also has the Lions at No. 1 in a feature out Tuesday, October 21. In it, Ralph Vacchiano says of the Lions, “The Lions sure bounced back nicely from their loss in Kansas City with a win over the Bucs. They aren’t perfect, but they can do it all and may be the most complete team in the NFL.”
The Detroit Lions’ next game is against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, November 2. The Vikings lost to the Chargers on Thursday, October 23, with a 37-10 score, and are in a freefalling state when it comes to quarterbacks, so that will only help the Lions.
Patrick Mahomes Reacts After Chiefs TE Announces Personal News
Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs will eye their third straight win in Week 8 of the 2025 NFL season, hosting Dan Quinn and the Washington Commanders on "Monday Night Football." The Chiefs are coming off a dominant 31-0 win in Week 7 over the Las Vegas Raiders, a game where Mahomes completed 26-of-35 passes for 286 yards and three touchdowns.
Travis Kelce is in his 13th season with the Chiefs, and his first since getting engaged to Grammy Award-winning artist Taylor Swift. The former Cincinnati Bearcats standout has remained as one of Mahomes’ favorite targets in 2025, recording 31 catches for 375 yards and two touchdowns. But Kelce isn’t the only Chiefs tight end with something major to celebrate in his personal life.
Noah Gray, after a college career with the Duke Blue Devils, was drafted by the Chiefs in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft. He has served as one of Kelce's backups in each of his five seasons, breaking out in 2024 with 40 catches for 437 yards and five touchdowns, all career highs. This year, he hasn't found much of a role, tallying just nine catches for 75 yards.
Gray has been accompanied by his wife, Mary Elise Gray, throughout his entire NFL career. The couple met at Duke in 2020 and married two years later. In March of last year, they welcomed their first child to the world, a daughter named Naomi. And on Saturday, the Grays announced that their family of three has now become a family of four.
"Noah’s girl army is getting a tiny bit bigger ," the Gray couple wrote in a dual post on Instagram, sharing numerous photos of the whole family.
Even Mahomes, who has three children with his wife, Brittany, was left excited for his tight end, congratulating the Grays in the comments.
