Eagles' Jalen Carter dodges hefty fine after Patrick Mahomes hit during 2025 Super Bowl: Report

One of the biggest moments of the 2025 Super Bowl happened in the fourth quarter when Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter hit Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes in the head, knocking him to the ground. The referees did not call a penalty and the NFL has also decided not to fine Carter for it.

"The NFL didn’t fine #Eagles DT Jalen Carter for his apparent hit to Patrick Mahomes’ helmet in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl LIX. However, Milton Williams was fined $14,069 for dunking over the crossbar after the ensuing strip-sack," NFL Network's Tom Pelissero tweeted on Saturday.

The NFL often fines players for similar hits to protect QBs. However, despite hitting one of the league’s biggest stars, Carter won't be punished. The league has not explained why Carter was not fined.

Apart from Carter’s hit in the Super Bowl, there were other similar incidents earlier in the season. In a game against the Minnesota Vikings, LA Rams linebacker Byron Young grabbed Sam Darnold’s facemask. In another matchup, Cowboys linebacker Marist Liufau twisted Bengals QB Joe Burrow’s facemask.

Mahomes has dealt with rough hits before. In last season’s AFC wild-card game, he was hit so hard by Miami Dolphins safety DeShon Elliott that his helmet cracked. The game was played in freezing -4°F weather, but Mahomes stayed in and led the Chiefs to a 26-7 win.

After the game, Mahomes said that he had never seen anything like it before. The helmet manufacturer, VICIS, later confirmed that while the outer shell cracked, the helmet still did its job in keeping him safe.

Jalen Carter was fined $17,445 earlier for hitting a Washington Commanders player

Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter helped his team win the NFC championship, but the NFL fined him $17,445 for a slap that wasn’t noticed during the game. Carter hit Washington Commanders center Tyler Biadasz in the face with an open hand in the fourth quarter.

The referees missed it, but the league reviewed the footage and decided to issue the fine. Philadelphia won 55-23 which secured its place in the 2025 Super Bowl.

Carter didn’t record many stats in the game as he finished with just two tackles.