The Baltimore Ravens‘ current condition is concerning enough. They’ve lost more than they’ve won after Week 9, standing at 4-5. Their linebacker Roquan Smith added to the woes by getting fined twice in their Week 8 face-off against the Buffalo Bills. One of them included being too aggressive on Bills quarterback Josh Allen.
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The aggression was expected as the Bills were coming off a 41-40 win over the Ravens in September 2025. Added to the burden was the pressure of ranking last in the AFC North standings. This left Smith to take the matter into his own hands, which is now costing him.
As per NFL.com’s listing of Week 8 fines, Smith got fined $17,911 for unnecessary roughness on Allen for a facemask penalty. He received another slip worth $17,911 for a hit on a defenseless player on a different play.
The controversial play involving Smith remained a hot topic among NFL fans this week. There was no penalty called during his second violation. Although many wanted to see the linebacker suspended for the facemask incident, the league instead fined him for the violation.
All of this transpired during Allen’s 1-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. Allen refused to give up after the Ravens stopped his third-down attempt. The Bills quarterback lined up for another quarterback sneak on fourth down and managed to push across the goal line. But as he fought his way into the end zone, Smith grabbed his facemask and twisted his head to the side. Allen lost his balance and fell to the ground.
In the NFL Rule Book, the facemask penalty is covered under Rule 12, Section 2, Article 15.
“If a player grasps an opponent’s facemask or helmet opening, he must immediately release it. He shall not grasp and control, twist, turn, push, or pull the facemask or helmet opening of an opponent in any direction,” the official website states. “Penalty: For twisting, turning, pushing, pulling, or controlling the mask or helmet opening: Loss of 15 yards. The player may be disqualified if the action is flagrant. If the foul is by the defense, it is also an automatic first down.”
However, no foul play was called on the field by Clay Martin and his team.
Meanwhile, Smith has already faced the repercussions for facemask penalties before. The fact that it happened this season itself is what makes things worse for the Ravens linebacker.
The Week 2 incident against New Orleans was another example of Smith escaping an in-game facemask penalty. Tyler Shough scored on a fourth-down sneak to give the New Orleans Saints a 24-17 win over the Ravens, with Smith grabbing his facemask during the play. Although the officials did not flag the linebacker, the league reviewed the incident and fined him $11,941 afterward, the amount a first-time offense for a facemask penalty carries.
Fast forward to week 8, Allen did not react negatively after being hit by Smith.
“I don’t think that happens too often, but it’s football,” Allen told the media. “It’s a physical game and stuff like that is going to happen.”
Even then, Smith being the repeat offender puts him in the bad light.
“There’s dirty players, then there is Roquan Smith,” Dave Myers of the Built in Buffalo podcast said. “Dude should be suspended for trying to pull Josh Allen’s head off.”
In the same game, Smith left loopholes for critics to question his sportsmanship.
Roquan Smith’s Disciplinary Issues Add to Ravens’ Concerns
Down with nine weeks, Smith’s pocket now feels lighter after receiving three fines. Two of them came against the Bills. Other than the facemask penalty, Smith’s penalty arrived days after the game for hitting DJ Moore across the middle, who was a defenseless player.
“It is a foul if a player initiates unnecessary contact against a player who is in a defenseless posture. A player who initiates contact against a defenseless opponent is responsible for avoiding an illegal act,” reads Rule 12, Section 2, Article 9 of the 2026 NFL Rulebook. “A standard of strict liability applies for any contact against an opponent, even if his body position is in motion, and irrespective of any acts by him, such as ducking his head or curling up his body in anticipation of contact.
Smith’s reputation as an elite NFL defender earned him a lucrative five-year, $100 million contract extension with the Ravens before the 2023 season. However, he endured what many considered a disappointing 2025 campaign. Despite registering 130 tackles, the linebacker failed to add a sack or interception to his season tally.
While the 2026 season came with an opportunity to whitewash his image, the penalties might turn out to be costly, leading the Ravens to make a tough decision about letting him go.