September 13 left DeMeco Ryans and the Houston Texans with more than one reason to look back on their matchup against the Buffalo Bills. The first blow came on the scoreboard, where Houston walked away with a 36-31 loss. Then came the second one.

Defensive tackle Mario Edwards Jr. was fined for a low hit on Bills quarterback Josh Allen. That added yet another sting to an already difficult day for Ryans’ squad.

According to the NFL’s 2026 Regular Season Week 1 Accountability report, Edwards was fined $8,263 for ‘Contact in the knee area or below a passer.’

The money collected from fines is used to support former NFL players, youth football, and community programs, as well as athlete health.

But here’s what led to the fine: the Bills were at Houston’s 42-yard line with 7:22 left in the third quarter and leading 24-21 when Allen took a shot down the middle for DJ Moore. The pass fell incomplete, but while releasing the ball, Allen was brought down by a low hit by Texans defensive tackle Mario Edwards Jr.

Edwards Jr. was called for roughing the passer, giving the Bills 15 yards and moving them to the Houston 27. Buffalo could only manage a 34-yard field goal from Tyler Bass on the ensuing drive. The penalty, however, was not the end of the matter for Edwards, with the NFL’s disciplinary decision following days later. That said, one can’t ignore that the player was under pressure.

In December 2025, he suffered a ruptured pectoral muscle during the face-off against the Arizona Cardinals. The injury left him sidelined for the rest of the season. In March 2026, the Texans released him with a failed physical designation as he recovered from the torn pectoral. But to add depth to their defensive line for the season, they brought him back in August on a one-year deal.

To make room for him on the roster, Houston waived Evan Hull and offensive tackle Derrick Graham. So, the pressure had already been greater, with the fine also coming against the backdrop of two previous NFL suspensions.

Edwards has previously been in trouble

Back in 2024, Edwards had won the starting defensive tackle spot in training camp, and in six starts, he had 18 tackles and two sacks. In October 2024, he got suspended for four games without pay for violating the NFL’s substance-abuse policy.

Then, in 2021, while with the Chicago Bears, Edwards was suspended for two games without pay for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing substances.

That said, Edwards was not the only Texan to take a financial hit after the Bills game. Three more Houston players also received fines, all for uniform violations.

• David Montgomery was handed an $11,491 fine for an unauthorized logo on his cleats.
• Azeez Al-Shaair was fined $11,492 for displaying an unauthorized message on his eye black.
• Trent Brown was docked $5,971 for wearing socks that did not fully cover his lower legs.

Al-Shaair has repeatedly used his platform to express support for Palestinians and draw attention to the situation in Gaza. Back in January 2026, he was fined $11,593 for displaying ‘Stop the Genocide’ on his eye black during Houston’s AFC wild card game. This time, against the Bills, he got penalized after he wore the words ‘Hind Rajab’ on his eye black. 

The fines came after a game in which Houston’s defense struggled to contain Josh Allen. Allen completed 20 of 29 attempts for 334 yards and two touchdown passes, then added two rushing touchdowns on six carries for 23 yards.

But Houston does not have the time to brood over the misfortunes, as they have to face the Cincinnati Bengals on September 20. 

Interesting fact: The Bills had 17 players fined during the 2025 season, with the penalties adding up to $199,778. Houston wasn’t far behind, with 12 Texans players receiving fines totaling $152,423.