Earl Thomas lands fine from NFL for flipping off Seahawks sideline after injury
As he previously feared, Seattle Seahawks safety Earl Thomas is very likely going to lose some money after breaking his left leg during last week’s game against the Arizona Cardinals. He’s also about to lose some cash for what happened after the injury as well.
It was the cart ride heard around the NFL, in which a clearly displeased Thomas flipped the bird toward his own sideline as he was driven off the field. For that gesture, Thomas was fined $13,369 by the NFL, according to The Seattle Times.
Per the Times, Thomas had also received a fine last week for taunting after taking a bow toward the Cowboys sideline after an interception.
Earl Thomas out for season with broken leg
Thomas suffered the injury while moving to cover Cardinals receiver Chad Williams in the Seahawks end zone during the fourth quarter, landing hard after running over Williams on the ground. Thomas stayed on the ground and the cart was soon brought out.
While it was unclear what had happened to Thomas, he knew enough to show his frustration by obscenely gesturing toward the Seahawks sideline. An x-ray soon revealed Thomas had broken his leg and would be out for the season, very likely ending his tenure with the Seahawks.
Seahwaks’ Earl Thomas situation somehow gets even worse
Thomas’ irritation and resentment toward the only NFL franchise he has ever played for had been brewing for a while. This season was Thomas’ contract year and he desired financial security. The Seahawks didn’t meet his demands for an extension, so he held out through the summer as well as Week 1, requesting a trade to a team that he felt would respect him more than the Seahawks.
The Seahawks’ asking price for a trade was reportedly a second-round draft pick, steep for a player that would his free agency in a matter of months. That possibility went out the window with Thomas’ injury.
Overall, the injury hurt the Seahawks, the teams interested in trading for him and Thomas most of all. The safety’s fine from the NFL is just the topper of an extremely ugly situation.
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