Patriots coach Mike Vrabel, Eagles coach Nick Sirianni and Jets coach Aaron Glenn were each fined for conduct toward officials, but the penalties can be erased if they stay clean.
The NFL quietly dropped $250,000 fines on three head coaches this week, docking Mike Vrabel of the Patriots, Nick Sirianni of the Eagles and Aaron Glenn of the Jets for how they treated game officials. The league did not publicize the fines; they were confirmed by sources familiar with the situation.
None of the fines are permanent. Each is being held in abeyance, meaning it disappears if that coach avoids further violations. It is a notable mechanism for a league that has leaned hard on sportsmanship rules this season.
The dollar figures are steep but not record-setting. Bill Belichick was fined $500,000 by the league back in 2007 during the Patriots' Spygate scandal, so these penalties sit well below that mark even while standing out as unusually large for coach conduct.
When reporters pressed Sirianni and Vrabel on Thursday, neither offered specifics about what triggered the fines. Sirianni declined to say whether it stemmed from one incident or a broader pattern, saying he keeps his conversations with the league and with players private. Vrabel was similarly tight-lipped, and no further details have emerged about the exact conduct that led to the punishment.