LOS ANGELES — A day after the NFL suspended Denver Broncos linebacker Randy Gregory and Los Angeles Rams guard Oday Aboushi for one game each for trading blows after LA’s victory on Sunday, the discipline has been reduced to fines.
The NFL announced Tuesday that appeals officers Derrick Brooks and James Thrash reduced the discipline to a fine of $50,000 for Gregory and a fine of $12,000 for Aboushi.
The incident occurred as the teams gathered in the middle of the field after the game. Gregory and Aboushi first exchanged words before Gregory punched Aboushi in the helmet. Aboushi then punched him back. The pair were quickly separated.
In letters sent to the players on Monday, NFL vice president of football operations Jon Runyan said, “as you were walking toward a group of teammates, coaches, and media, you both stopped and swung at each other’s head and/or neck. Your aggressive conduct could have caused serious injury and clearly does not reflect the high standards of sportsmanship expected of a professional.”
Later that day, Rams right tackle Rob Havenstein said he saw the exchange and didn’t think Aboushi was “in the wrong.”
“He got hit first, tried to walk away on several occasions, from what it looks like and from what I saw,” Havenstein said. “I think the video is pretty clear. He was walking away and he was being pursued.”
Gregory issued an apology for the incident on Monday night, saying that what happened “was not a reflection of my character.”
“My goal is to finish this season strong, play with pride, and be part of the solution and not the problem going forward,” he said.