Sources – NFL warns players, teams over safety violations

With the new season set to kick off on Sunday, the NFL has warned certain players and teams that it will not hesitate to suspend them.

The NFL recently sent a memo to more than 20 players and their teams, emphasizing the importance of safety and sportsmanship and warning them that they could face suspension if there are any violations, league sources told ESPN.

The league believes this is an additional attempt to make the game safer, according to sources.

Players who received notices and were screened have been punished in the past. The NFL declined to provide a list of players who were notified, but all players have been suspended over the past two seasons for on-field infractions that the league will not tolerate this season.

Players suspended in the past two seasons for on-field violations include Bills safety Kareem Jackson, Steelers safety Damontae Kazee, Chargers linebacker Denzel Perryman, Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans and Patriots defensive back Tristen Hill.

Teams were also informed at a league meeting last month that the club transfer policy was back in effect, effective immediately, according to sources. That means teams will face fines for players suspended for safety violations, personal conduct policy violations and drug suspensions. The NFL suspended its transfer policy during the COVID-19 pandemic but has now reinstated it for the 2024 season.

“When a player receives a penalty from the league for a covered violation, the amount of the fine (or the amount of salary forfeited in the event of a suspension), up to a maximum of $75,000 per violation, will be counted toward his club’s season total,” according to the league’s memo to teams.

“For the 2024 season, the transfer policy will be triggered when a club’s players incur fines or suspensions in excess of $90,000. If this threshold is exceeded, a club will be required to transfer an amount equal to the cumulative amount of fines for covered violations incurred by its players.

“For example, if a club’s players incur a total of $175,000 in fines/suspensions for covered violations during the 2024 season, that club would be required to remit $175,000.”