Time and again, the NFL has shown that it has no tolerance for violence. But what exactly qualifies as a violent act, because not many seem to comprehend their rationale while imposing a hefty fine of $14,491 over the Bucs’ QB Baker Mayfield. One of those upset faces turns out to be his wife, who had her own take on things. 

“So violent,” her Instagram story caption read.

In Week 13, the night Tampa Bay finally snapped its three-game losing streak, Baker Mayfield and Bucky Irving added a spark to the 20-17 victory with a touchdown moment that caught the league’s attention. The duo broke into a scripted gesture, but the NFL later flagged it as a prohibited “violent gesture.” The move, a nose wipe, had been prohibited earlier this year because of its perceived gang-related connotation. What’s interesting is that they weren’t penalized during the game. The punishment came retrospectively. 

“[The nose wipe] has gang connotations; it’s disrespectful,” asserted NFL vice president Troy Vincent back in April. “It’s just where we are in society. Young men, they come from that era, from that age, and they’ve grown up on social media. If anybody Googled ‘nose wipe,’ you’ll see the language that is used and where that’s affiliated.”

Besides Emily and fans, the Bucs also didn’t seem to consider the gesture offensive or, rather, violent. It was the result of a handshake, which the franchise called “the best handshake in football.” 

Though the quarterback hasn’t spoken on the subject, his partner in crime, aka Irving, had something to share.

“I feel like I had a rock bottom moment about two months ago, and God is the only person that I found,” he said, ahead of Week 14. 

Whether it was the $6,349 fine or the lingering effects of his Week 4 injury is difficult to pinpoint. What is certain is that the Buccaneers refuse to treat this as a simple misstep. Tampa Bay now faces a much larger set of problems beyond this moment.

Baker Mayfield addresses mistakes after New Orleans loss

So far, this year has brought good news for Mayfield with his wife’s pregnancy, and of course, the Walter Payton Man of the Year. Unfortunately, the same hasn’t been the case for Tampa Bay. Week 14 should have been a win against a team that has struggled, but it was a 24-20 bust. After the game, the QB addressed what went wrong. 

“S****. Felt like we just gave it away or didn’t make the plays to win it. Um, just too many mistakes,” Mayfield said when talking to the press about the Saints game. “Conditions aren’t an excuse because they had to play in them, too. None of that matters. Just a matter of making the plays that guys have made a bunch of times.”

As for the team overall, already without offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs, the offense felt different, missing by inches. On the defense, defensive back Benjamin Morrison’s absence was also felt. The Buccaneers next take on the Atlanta Falcons in a game they’ll surely want to win for a playoff push, as their current chances stand at a healthy 71%.

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