Kansas City Chiefs star hit with heavy fine from NFL despite being on bye week

The Kansas City Chiefs have started the season 5-0 as they aim to win a third consecutive Super Bowl and one player has been fined by the NFL despite the team being on a bye

Despite being on an NFL bye week, a Kansas City Chiefs player has been slapped with a hefty fine.

The Chiefs have kicked off the season flawlessly, boasting a pristine 5-0 record as they chase an extraordinary third consecutive Super Bowl victory. Andy Reid's team wasn't in action over the weekend due to their bye week and won't return to the field until Sunday.

However, one player's weekend off was disrupted when he received a stern fine from the NFL following an incident during their week five triumph over the New Orleans Saints last Monday.

The penalty was revealed on Saturday when the NFL announced sanctions from the previous game week. Tershawn Wharton, the Chiefs' defensive tackle, was hit with an £9,000 fine for unnecessary roughness, which will be deducted from his salary.

The unsporting behaviour reportedly occurred after an attack on the face mask area of Saints guard Lucas Patrick. The 26 year old used his open left hand to strike his opponent, causing Patrick's head to jerk backwards.

The incident, penalised by officials in the fourth quarter, was caught by live Monday Night Football TV cameras. Wharton's season has started brilliantly, ranking second among his teammates in sacks with 1.5.

The long-time teammate of Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce has contributed to the Chiefs' back-to-back Super Bowls and has begun the season impressively, winning 11 tackles.

The 26 year old was overlooked in the 2020 draft after playing at Missouri SandT during his college years. However, he was quickly snapped up by the Chiefs as a free agent and made the team after training camp, making his NFL debut just months later in the season opener in September.

After suffering an ACL tear during the 2022 season, Wharton bounced back the following year, recording two sacks, one fumble recovery, and 21 tackles across last season, including in Super Bowl LVIII where the Chiefs triumphed over the San Francisco 49ers 25-22. The fifth-year player opted to remain in Kansas during the off-season, signing a one-year extension with the franchise worth £2.1million, where he's been thriving alongside All-Pro Chris Jones in the middle of the line at defensive tackle.

The Chiefs will be back on the field in week seven in a Super Bowl rematch against the 49ers, who managed to fend off a comeback from the Seattle Seahawks in week six to win 36-24 and bring their record to 3-3 this season.