NFL fines Jaguars player after hit that Eagles player said could have ended his season

An Eagles offensive lineman wanted a Jacksonville Jaguars player to face punishment after he was injured by a questionable hit during last Sunday’s win. He’s likely pleased something was done after an announcement Saturday afternoon.
Jaguars safety Andrew Cisco was fined $11,817 for his hit on Eagles left tackle Fred Johnson. The fine is consistent for a player who is receiving his first offense for that type of infraction. During the third quarter, as quarterback Jalen Hurts ran toward the end zone, Cisco approached as if attempting to tackle Hurts. Instead, Cisco dove at Johnson’s knees, knocking him to the ground as Hurts completed the 18-yard touchdown run. Cisco was flagged for unnecessary roughness, and the Eagles attempted a two-point conversion that failed. Johnson walked off the field and was examined by medical staff before returning for the rest of the game.
The effects of the injury were still bothering Johnson. In Wednesday’s walkthrough, Johnson did not participate and wore a sleeve on his leg while observing teammates in blocking drills.
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“Does anybody know if he was fined?” Johnson asked during Wednesday’s practice. “If he’s not fined, I want to talk to the league because this hurts…That hit could have been way worse than it looked on film. I just saw him drop. I lifted my leg to try and fall over him. If my foot was planted in the ground, I could have been out for the year.”
Johnson was already in as a replacement for starter Jordan Mailata, who has been on injured reserve after hurting his hamstring in Week 6 against the Cleveland Browns. Johnson has been solid in Mailata’s place, holding his own against edge rushers such as Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson and Giants linebacker Brian Burns. He’s set for another tough assignment Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys, with linebacker Micah Parsons potentially returning from a high-ankle sprain that has sidelined him for the last four games.
“He’s a difference-maker,” Johnson said of Parsons. “They have more freedom to do a lot of things just because of who he is and what he brings to the field. He’s the type of guy that opens up their playbook in the pass rush. When Micah’s not in, it’s definitely different. I feel like they have more of an open playbook.”
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Chris Franklin may be reached at [email protected].