On the final play of the Packers’ 23-19 victory over the Steelers on Sunday, Tom shoved Kazee well after he was out of bounds. This caused Kazee to stumble and run into Steelers Special Teams Coordinator Danny Smith. Smith injured his rotator cuff in the collision.
Tom’s actions have been widely condemned, with many calling them unnecessary and dangerous. ESPN analyst Damien Woody called the shove “a cheap shot” and said that it “had no place in the game.”
The Packers have defended Tom, saying that he was simply trying to make a play on the ball. However, most observers believe that Tom’s actions were intentional and that he should be punished accordingly.
The fine is the maximum amount that the NFL can levy for a single incident. It is also the largest fine that the Packers have ever received.
In addition to the fine, Tom could also face further discipline from the NFL. The league has a history of suspending players for late hits, and it is possible that Tom could be handed a suspension for his actions.
The incident has left Smith sidelined with an injured rotator cuff, making an already thin secondary even thinner. FS Minkah Fitzpatrick will miss his third game while S Keanu Neal was placed on IR with a rib injury.
The Steelers are now without two of their top three safeties, and they will be relying on inexperienced players to fill in. This could be a major problem for the Steelers, as they are already struggling to stop the pass.
The Packers will need to get healthy quickly if they want to make a push for the playoffs. They are currently 5-4 and in third place in the NFC North.
It is still too early to say what the long-term impact of Smith’s injury will be. However, it is clear that the Steelers will need to find a way to replace him if they want to have any chance of making a deep playoff run.
The Packers, on the other hand, will be hoping that Tom can learn from his mistakes and avoid similar incidents in the future. Tom is a talented young player, and the Packers need him to be a key contributor if they want to be successful.