When right guard Quinn Meinerz was drafted in the 3rd round of the 2021 NFL Draft, Vic Fangio was the Denver Broncos head coach. So, that’s how long Meinerz has been playing with the Broncos. However, this season it has only been four weeks, and already Meinerz’s seat got sizzling hot. Thanks to back-to-back fines. The latest one came right before Week 4. At the center of it is a social media post.
The Denver Broncos are already on a slippery slope with a 2-2 record when they got hit with another blow. In four weeks, they already have four players who got fined. Among them, Meinerz got fined twice.
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“Per sources, #Broncos RG Quinn Meinerz drew a fine of around $15k for posting the image of his drug test notification on social media after Denver’s win against the Los Angeles Rams,” posted Denver Post reporter Parker Gabriel on October 10 on X. “Apparently the NFL doesn’t like that information being made public, even after pancaking Aaron Donald.”
Meinerz had shared a screenshot of a message he was sent by the league after the Broncos defeated the Rams.
“Quinn this is Christian on behalf of the NFL and Drug Free Sport,” the message read. “You have been selected to complete a Performance Enhancing Substance (PES) test today. You must complete your test prior to the start of afternoon team activities. Please bring your government issued ID or team ID.”
The star offensive lineman will appeal the fine, Gabriel reported.
Meinerz was yet to whitewash his image after being fined for “unsportsmanlike conduct” over “illegal celebrations and vulgar acts” during a touchdown celebration during the team’s 30-26 win over the Los Angeles Rams in Week 3.
Well, the players express themselves, but the emotional outbursts now go through a precise evaluation by the NFL. And Meinerz did not pass the quality check.
When Broncos wide receiver Jaylen Waddle caught a pass in the end zone to complete a two-point conversion in the third quarter, Meinerz celebrated with his teammate before pantomiming a dice roll.
Under the NFL’s fine structure, an unsportsmanlike conduct violation carries a $14,926 fine for the first offense and $20,897 for the second. And Meinerz’s name slipped into that list, and he was handed a $14,926 fine.
“I got fined,” Meinerz told Mike Klis of 9News (h/t Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk). “We were playing Yahtzee. They didn’t like we were playing Yahtzee.”
While he was yet to get over that blow, the timing of receiving the text is what was more than a coincidence. The message arrived right after he crushed Aaron Donald.
“I passed it,’’ Meinerz said of the drug test. “That was one of the funnier text messages I’ve got. The first thing I woke up, looked at the phone, got a text message I’ve got to come in and get a drug test. It was funny. They say it’s random but sometimes it doesn’t necessarily feel random.”
After being named a first-team All-Pro in each of the last two seasons, Meinerz is making a strong case for a third straight selection with his performances in the opening three games of the current campaign. Even though fines are raining down on him, it is not being able to tame down his energy on the gridiron. He keeps proving himself that he is the best right guard in the NFL and the best run-blocker at any position.
Quinn Meinerz Gets His Moment Against Aaron Donald
Against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Meinerz just got his ‘take a bow’ moment.
The Denver Broncos’ All-Pro right guard’s pancake block created an opening for rookie running back Jonah Coleman, whose 12-yard run with 3:26 left forced Jacksonville to spend its final timeout while trailing by seven. Two plays later, Coleman gained another 12 yards before sliding down in bounds to put the game away.
Meinerz delivered a powerful statement against three-time Defensive Player of the Year, picking him up and slamming him to the turf in a clip making the Broncos fans go gaga. Donald was admittedly off balance, but the play was still an impressive demonstration of Meinerz’s strength. And that wasn’t his only win of the night.
Meinerz kept opposing pass rushers at bay all night, allowing no pressures, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. That included eight one-on-one reps against Donald.
The performance followed Donald’s 27.8% pass-rush win rate against the New York Giants in Week 2, his first game back in the NFL after stepping away from the sport for two years.
Unless and until the NFL suspends him, Broncos fans can count on him whenever he hits the gridiron.