While there was a penalty on the field that ultimately didn’t affect the outcome for the Cleveland Browns, it did provide a measure of accountability in the moment. Now, taking that a step further, the NFL has handed down disciplinary action to Jihad Ward for a controversial hit on Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders during the team’s Week 14 loss to the Tennessee Titans.

“Jihad Ward was fined $7,806 for a blow to the head of the QB in the fourth quarter against the Browns,” reported Titans beat reporter Paul Kuharsky, taking to his X account.

The incident happened with 2:43 remaining in the fourth quarter as Sanders completed a 13-yard pass to tight end Harold Fannin Jr. while trying to rally the Browns from behind. Ward was even flagged on the field for roughing the passer (a blow to the head/neck area, per the league’s official game day accountability report that came out on Saturday), carrying a 15-yard penalty that helped Cleveland’s drive.

That eventually concluded with Sanders throwing a 7-yard touchdown to Fannin, cutting Tennessee’s lead to 31–29 after the Browns could not convert the two-point try.

Curiously, though he was flagged for it in the game, Ward did not receive a standard roughing-the-passer fine. According to league rules, a roughing-the-passer penalty can result in a fine of around $17,389 to $23,186. However, the league determined the hit constituted unnecessary roughness and handed him a lesser $7,806 fine.

Despite the setback, it was Sanders’ best outing in three starts so far in his NFL journey. The rookie completed 23 of 42 passes for 364 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception for a 97.7 passer rating.

Meanwhile, Ward recorded three tackles and four quarterback hits. But his discipline has been an issue for the player drafted in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders out of Illinois.

In his rookie season, he was fined for a facemask violation. More recently, he was hit with an unnecessary roughness fine during the 2023 season, followed by another late-hit penalty fine in 2024, reflecting a continued pattern of infractions tied to physical play. Ward has also said he was fined in 2022 while with the Giants for a uniform violation involving a hoodie, though that incident was never publicly confirmed by the league.

However, Ward was not the only Titans player who was fined by the NFL.

Cedric Gray fined as discipline mounts

The NFL also announced fines for linebacker Cedric Gray, who was penalized twice in the fourth quarter against the Browns in Week 14 for facemask violations. Each fine was $6,492, totaling $12,984.

The incidents happened with 5:01 and 1:21 remaining in the fourth quarter. Gray has been one of Tennessee’s most consistent players throughout an otherwise uneven season for the team. The linebacker leads the Titans with 128 tackles, nearly 60 more than any other player on the roster.

“We hadn’t won since Week 5, so it feels amazing,” Gray said after the game. “I’m not worried about the No. 1 overall pick. We’re ballplayers. We got heart every time we step on the field.”

He accounted for a team-high 10 tackles, recovered a Dillon Sampson fumble in the fourth quarter, and returned it 19 yards to the Cleveland 8-yard line. This helped Cam Ward throw for a 5-yard touchdown pass to Chimere Dike, pushing the Titans’ lead to 21–17 and giving them crucial breathing room.