Ravens outside linebacker Odafe Oweh feels vindicated, and as a result he’ll get to keep his money.
Tuesday, the 2021 first-round draft pick revealed via Instagram and a letter from the NFL that the $20,500 fine he was levied for a hit on Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco during Baltimore’s season opener in Kansas City has been rescinded.
The play in question occurred at 12:21 of the fourth quarter and on second-and-5 from the Ravens’ 41-yard line. Pacheco, lined up on the left side of quarterback Patrick Mahomes in the shotgun, took the handoff to the right and cut back left before being brought down by Oweh in what appeared to be a routine play.
Oweh was not flagged during the game but was later fined.
In his appeal, Oweh denied lowering his head and making “forcible contact with his helmet against an opponent.” The letter stated that whether or not he committed the violation, his fine “should be reduced or rescinded because this was a routine tackle inside the box where he led with his shoulder.”
He also argued that there is a big height difference between himself and Pacheco — who is 7 inches shorter than the 6-foot-5 Oweh — and there was no risk to the back.
“After reviewing the arguments and video presented to me during the appeal, I have concluded that the evidence does not warrant a fine for this violation,” hearing officer and former NFL wide receiver Jordy Nelson wrote. “By copy of this letter, the fine is rescinded.”
Whether Oweh faces another potential fine for his roughing the quarterback penalty on the Cowboys’ Dak Prescott in the Ravens’ win over Dallas on Sunday remains to be seen.
The penalty, which came at the 3:50 mark of the fourth quarter and with Dallas trailing 28-18, gave the Cowboys a crucial first down. Instead of a third-and-10 from Baltimore’s 49-yard-line after Prescott’s deep pass to receiver CeeDee Lamb fell incomplete on the play, the 15-yard penalty moved the ball to the Ravens’ 34, and five plays later Prescott hit receiver KaVonte Turpin Dallas for a touchdown to cut the deficit to three.
After the game, Oweh said he did not get an explanation from the referee.
“Whenever I would ask [what] the call was and stuff like that, he would just smile at me and give me a little weird smirk,” Oweh said. “That’s just the nature of the game. Just have to play through it and find a way to put [the quarterback down] a little bit more gently.
“We’ll see how it goes if they fine me or not.”