The Pittsburgh Steelers are on their bye week, but their 27-6 win over the Cleveland Browns is still making news a week later. The NFL has handed down its fine for the hit that started a strange week at quarterback in Cleveland, and the Browns will feel the effects of it on Sunday afternoon. While the Steelers rest up for their trip to Cincinnati, the Browns will take the field in New Orleans with a different quarterback under center, and safety Jaquan Brisker is a big part of the reason why.
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Jaquan Brisker during Steelers training camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
The league fined Brisker $17,911 for his hit on Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson, the standard first-offense amount for roughing the passer. NFL Network's Mike Garafolo shared the news on X.
"Jaquan Brisker was fined $17,911 for his hit on Deshaun Watson, who landed in the concussion protocol a few days later. Brisker disagreed with the flag and, preemptively, with the fine."
The hit came just three plays into the game. Brisker came free on a blitz and hit Watson high, drawing a roughing-the-passer flag and sending the Browns quarterback to the medical tent. Watson was cleared and returned on the next series, and he finished the game.
Steelers Safety Did Not Hold Back
Brisker was not apologetic after the game. He made it clear that he thought the flag was the wrong call, and he expected the fine before it ever came.
"I assume I'm going to get fined because if you watch it, I'm hitting him with my chest and then I'm off to the side," Brisker said, via CBS Sports.
He also said the call was "babying the quarterback" and added, "It is what it is." SteelerNation already covered how Brisker turned the Browns' trash talk into a punchline after the win.
Brisker was not the only player fined for a hit that led to a concussion evaluation. CBS Sports noted that Raiders safety Jeremy Chinn was fined the same $17,911 for a hit on Jets receiver Garrett Wilson, who later entered the protocol.
The fine is a cost of doing business for a player who has brought an edge to the Steelers' secondary in his first season in Pittsburgh. Brisker has been one of the defense's most physical players, and that style is a big part of why the unit has played so well during the team's four-game winning streak.
Ken Blaze / Imagn Images
Shedeur Sanders on the field for the Cleveland Browns.
Steelers' AFC North Foe Browns Will Turn To Shedeur Sanders
The bigger impact is in Cleveland. Watson passed his evaluations after the game and on Monday morning, but the team said he reported concussion symptoms on Tuesday that began Monday night. He was placed in the protocol and missed most of the practice week.
Watson cleared the protocol on Saturday, but the Browns stuck with their plan. Head Coach Todd Monken had already named Shedeur Sanders the starter for Sunday's 1 p.m. game against the New Orleans Saints at Caesars Superdome, according to NFL.com. It will be Sanders' first start of the season.
Monken liked what he saw from Sanders in practice this week.
"I liked his confidence and the way he operated," Monken said, via The Associated Press. "He looked very comfortable in terms of getting our guys in and out of the huddle."
Sanders started the final seven games of his rookie season in 2025 and went 3-4, completing 56.6% of his passes for 1,400 yards with seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Against Pittsburgh last week, he played four snaps while Watson was being checked and completed both of his passes for two yards.
Why It Matters For The Steelers
The Browns are 5-3 and one game behind the 6-2 Steelers in the AFC North. A win in New Orleans would keep them close, while a loss would hand Cleveland back-to-back losses for the first time this season.
The Steelers will be watching from home. They already split the season series with Cleveland, so the Browns' results matter for the division race. If Sanders plays well, Cleveland could face a quarterback decision when Watson is fully healthy.
Either way, Brisker's hit helped shape the Browns' week, and it cost him nearly $18,000. Knowing how he plays, he probably will not change a thing.
This story was produced with the help of AI and reviewed by SteelerNation editors.
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