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Katherine Terrell, ESPN Staff Writer
METAIRIE, La. — New Orleans Saints rookie defensive tackle Khristian Boyd has been fined $4,600 for his hit on Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith, sources told ESPN.
A hit on a defenseless player for a first-time offender typically comes with a fine of $16,883. However, a first-offense fine cannot exceed more than 10% of a player’s salary cap hit for that game week. Boyd’s cap hit for the 2024 season is $844,215, giving him a weekly salary cap number of about $46,900.
Two Saints defenders were attempting to get Smith down after a 5-yard catch in the fourth quarter of the Eagles 15-12 win against the Saints last week. Boyd came in from the other side and hit him high as he was going backward, causing his helmet to fall off.
Smith was placed into concussion protocol and left the game. He remained in concussion protocol as of Thursday afternoon.
Boyd, a 2024 sixth-round pick, was not flagged for the play and said he would never deliberately cause an injury in a now-deleted story on Instagram.
“Just trying to make a play on the ball,” Boyd wrote. “Get well soon 6.”
Boyd’s teammate Cameron Jordan defended him in his podcast ‘Off the Edge with Cam Jordan,’ explaining that Boyd was just playing until he heard the whistle.
Jordan said that he hates to see any player go down, but does not think that Boyd had any ill intent with the hit.
“That’s a routine tackle,” Jordan said on the podcast. “If it gets blown earlier before he falls, that’s a different story. But you’re going to play snap to whistle each and every time.”