NFL Punishes Former Texans Starting O-Lineman, Chargers Defensive Back

The Houston Texans traded Tytus Howard to the Cleveland Browns this offseason, and the veteran got into some hot water with the league in his first outing.

Howard and the Browns opened their preseason slate against the Chicago Bears . During that contest, officials flagged Howard for an infraction. The decision cost his team during the game and in the days that followed.

The Texans also saw their Week 1 opponent feel the league's financial wrath.

GettyThe league fined former Texans OL Tytus Howard for tripping another player.

During the first quarter of Howard and the Browns' 34-10 loss to the Bears, officials called the former Texans offensive lineman for tripping Chicago's Dayo Odeyingbo . The Browns were penalized, and the two teams moved on.

However, the NFL reviews matters after the fact, and Howard's particular infraction is among the many fineable offenses, and the league has followed through.

Howard received a $12,537 fine for the act, the highest in Week 1 of the preseason, per the NFL .

The league defines the tripping rule as such: "All players are prohibited from: striking an opponent with his fists; kicking or kneeing an opponent; tripping an opponent, including the runner; striking, swinging at, or clubbing the head, neck, or face of an opponent with the wrist(s), arm(s), elbow(s), or hand(s); or striking an opponent below the shoulders with his forearm or elbows by turning the trunk of his body at the waist, or by pivoting, or by any other way that is clearly unnecessary."

There are exceptions: "Contact to the head, neck, or face of an opponent with the palm of the hand is permitted: by a defensive player who is attempting to ward off an offensive player at the line of scrimmage, provided that it is not a repeated act against the same opponent during any one contact; or by any player in a personal attempt to recover a loose ball."

Howard's fine was standard for a first-time offense. A second could cost him up to $18,507. He was fortunate to avoid a more severe in-game penalty, which could have led to his disqualification from the contest.

Howard, who has started all 93 of his career games, and the Browns will host the Texans in Week 10 of the regular season. He will surely look to have a cleaner game.

Chargers Kendall Williamson Tagged With Unexpected Fine After Texans Game

GettyThe NFL fined Chargers DB Kendall Williamson for his hit on Texans RB Noah Whittington.

The league also fined Los Angeles Chargers defensive back Kendall Williamson. He is notably a former Bears draft pick. His fine amounted to $5972. It was for "unnecessary roughness," and specifically illegal "use of the helmet."

The play occurred during the second quarter of the Texans' eventual 27-7 loss to the Chargers.

Williamson lowered his head to make the tackle on Texans rookie running back Noah Whittington. Officials did not flag the play in real time.

"It is a foul if a player: lowers his head and makes forcible contact with his helmet against an opponent; or uses any part of his helmet or facemask to butt or make forcible contact to an opponent's head or neck," the league notes in the rulebook. "These provisions do not prohibit incidental contact by the mask or the helmet in the course of a conventional tackle or block on an opponent.

Williamson was also fortunate to avoid a stiffer penalty (i.e., a disqualification) over the action. The league's review process got him, though. The Texans were able to avoid drawing the NFL's ire over Week 1.

They should be good for Week 2, too, though several Las Vegas Raiders could receive fines .

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