cam-jordan.jpg
Getty Images

New Orleans Saints defensive end Cam Jordan has won his appeal for the $50,000 fine the NFL gave him for allegedly faking an injury, per ESPN. The fine has been rescinded. 

In early December, the NFL issued a memo threatening to enforce harsh penalties for the faking of injuries, and it enforced that new rule just a few days later when it fined members of the Saints and Cincinnati Bengals.

The league handed out a $550,000 fine to the Saints after Jordan allegedly faked an injury during the team's Week 13 loss to the Tampa Buccaneers, according to Pro Football Talk. The Bengals' Jessie Bates III was also fined for his alleged fake injury during a Week 13 win over Kansas City, according to NFL Network.

Jordan was reportedly fined $50,000. His position coach, Ryan Nielsen, was also fined $50,000. Saints coach Dennis Allen was fined $100,000, and the Saints franchise was docked $350,000. While Jordan won his appeal, it is unclear whether or not Allen, Nielsen, and the organization also had their fines rescinded. The team announced in the aftermath of these fines that they'd be appealing. 

Meanwhile, here is a breakdown of Cincinnati's fines: Bates ($50,000), head coach Zac Taylor ($150,000) and the Bengals ($350,000). (The fines for Taylor and the Bengals were based on the minimum fines for head coaches and franchises laid out in the NFL memo as punishment for faking injuries. It's unclear if Bates' position coach was fined). At the time, Bates announced his plans to appeal as well, per NFL Network.

The action that led to the Saints' initial fine took place with 7:34 left in the fourth quarter. Jordan took a knee after looking at the team bench prior to the Buccaneers' fourth-down play. The NFL initially thought Jordan received instruction to go down, but it apparently came to a different conclusion following his appeal. 

'The New Orleans Saints deny any allegations of purposefully delaying the game," the Saints said in a statement at the time. "Defensive end Cameron Jordan felt foot pain following a third-down play and sought medical attention. He entered the blue medical tent and was examined by the medical staff and following the [examination] he was taped and able to finish the game. 

"He had an MRI performed the following day in New Orleans and was confirmed that he suffered an acute mid-foot sprain in his left foot. He has been at the facility each day receiving treatment for his injury he suffered on the play. 

Jordan responded to the fine via Twitter. 

The NFL is trying to crack down on teams faking injuries in attempts to disrupt the tempo of a game. The league's memo came out shortly after Bates was seen falling without contact during a critical moment in Cincinnati's Week 13 win over Kansas City. (Bates was listed on this week's injury report with a groin injury.) 

Jordan and Bates were the first NFL players in a decade to be fined for allegedly faking an injury. Then-Steelers receiver Emmanuel Sanders was fined $15,000 after the NFL determined he had faked an injury during a game against the Bengals. Pittsburgh was also fined $35,000 for the incident.