BETTER LATE THAN NEVER
NFL reverses course on criticism from Houston Texans running back
Feb 19, 2025, 11:53 am
BETTER LATE THAN NEVER
The NFL has rescinded a $25,000 fine Houston’s Joe Mixon received for comments about officiating in the Texans’ loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the divisional round of the playoffs after an appeal by the running back.
Mixon was given the fine for his comments following the 23-14 loss where Houston’s defense was penalized twice for hits on quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
Appeals officer Chris Palmer said in a letter to Mixon, which was obtained by ESPN.com, that during the hearing process on Jan. 30 he found that Mixon “did not necessarily publicly criticize the officials.”
When asked about the officiating after the game, Mixon said: “everybody knows how it is playing up here.”
“You can never leave it into the refs’ hands,” Mixon said. “The whole world sees, man, what it is. When it comes down to it, you can never leave it into the refs’ hands. It’s all good, though.”
Palmer said in his letter to Mixon that the “integrity of the game and its officials is the responsibility of everyone involved in the NFL.”
“During the appeal hearing, you stated what you meant by your statements referring to the officials,” Palmer said in the letter. “As you know, statements can be interpreted differently by every individual and it seems like you clearly understand the weight and detriment of public criticism towards officials can be, given how impactful your platform is as a player, which I appreciate.”
Mixon was originally fined for a comment former Cincinnati receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh posted on X in agreeing with the running back, which was incorrectly attributed to Mixon in a Sports Illustrated story.
Later on the day he was fined the NFL reissued the fine for the comments Mixon actually made. Sports Illustrated also corrected the error where the comment on X from Houshmandzadeh was attributed to him.
Editor's note: Texans pass rusher Will Anderson is also $25,000 richer after winning his appeal for criticizing officials.
Will Anderson Jr. wins appeal of $25,000 fine for criticizing officials. https://t.co/KZbvgzQJn0
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) February 19, 2025
Christian Walker homered in a three-run second, Ryan Gusto pitched well into the sixth and the Houston Astros beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 on Wednesday night to sweep the three-game series.
CHRISTIAN SKYWALKER. #BuiltForThis pic.twitter.com/EZxbda3HT3
— Houston Astros (@astros) April 24, 2025
Walker led off the second with a home run to left off Bowden Francis (2-3), Yainer Diaz tripled and scored on Zach Dezenzo's RBI single and Yordan Alvarez capped the scoring with a sacrifice fly.
Gusto (3-1) allowed one run on three hits with six strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings. Gusto has allowed three runs or fewer in each of his three starts this season.
Bryan King pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings, and Bryan Abreu threw a scoreless eighth.
George Springer walked, and Ernie Clement doubled with one out in the ninth, but Josh Hader struck out Alejandro Kirk and induced a flyout by Myles Straw for his seventh save.
Houston has won five of its last six.
Springer hit an RBI double in the fourth for the Blue Jays. They have lost five straight games.
Francis surrendered three runs on eight hits in 4 2/3 innings. He has allowed three runs or fewer in four of his five starts.
Hader striking out Kirk and getting Straw to flyout to center to end it.
The Astros swept the Blue Jays for the first time since they swept a four-game series in Houston on May 14-17, 2015.
Julia Morales caught up with Walker after the game.
#Astros beat the Blue Jays 3-1
Christian Walker 2-4, HR & spoke with @JuliaMorales after the @astros WIN#BuiltForThis pic.twitter.com/MyRYdVwidH
— Space City Home Network (@SpaceCityHN) April 24, 2025
Houston starts a three-game series Friday at Kansas City, with RHP Hayden Wesneski (1-1, 3.91 ERA) starting the opener. Toronto RHP José Berríos (1-1, 5.02) starts Friday night in the opener of a three-game series at the Yankees.
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