Van Ness receives $17,911 fine but it might not be for hit on Kyler Murray

GREEN BAY − Green Bay Packers nickel slot Javon Bullard was flagged for unnecessary roughness on the hit that knocked Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray out of the Week 1 season opener, but it was edge Lukas Van Ness who got fined.

In the first quarter of the Packers’ 39-22 loss at U.S. Bank Stadium, Murray was scrambling and, after making a cut near the sideline, dropped to the ground without a legs-first slide. Bullard came in low from the front, put his shoulder down and collided with the side of Murray’s head.

Van Ness, who was chasing Murray from behind slapped him on the side of the head as he reached out to make the tackle. Murray’s helmet came off as a result of the slap and then took a hit from Bullard, who had dropped to his knees and collided with Murray.

It appears, however, Van Ness didn’t get fined for that hit; he got fined for a third-quarter hit on backup Carson Wentz. According to the NFL’s fine report, Van Ness was fined $17,911 for a “blow to the head or neck” during a hit on the quarterback at 11 minutes, 13 seconds of the third quarter.

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Van Ness made contact with Wentz’s helmet, but it didn’t appear as violent as the one on Murray. The league fined Van Ness the full amount for a hit to the quarterback’s head.

The NFL also fined safety Evan Williams for his hit to the back of wide receiver Justin Jefferson. He was fined for a hit on a defenseless player. The league could have fined him $17,911, but only fined him $7,087.

Defensive tackle Chris McClellan was not fined for his hit on quarterback Carson Wentz. The on-field ruling was that McClellan committed roughing the passer for landing with all his weight on Wentz. Replays showed McClellan braced himself as he landed, which may be why he wasn’t fined.

The fines were the first two the Packers have received since the start of the exhibition season.

REGULAR SEASON

WEEK 1

$17,911 — Edge Lukas Van Ness, hit on the quarterback, blow to the head or neck

$7,087 — Safety Evan Williams, unnecessary roughness, hit on a defenseless player

PRESEASON

None

This article originally appeared on Packers News: Van Ness receives $17,911 fine but it might not be for hit on Kyler Murray