‘Us versus the refs’ costs former Alabama All-American $25,000

Houston Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr. has been fined $25,000 for comments about the officiating in last week’s 23-14 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Divisional Round of the AFC playoffs.

“We knew it was going to be us versus the refs going into this game,” Anderson told reporters in the Houston locker room after the game.

The NFL announces weekly its fines for on-the-field transgressions. But it does not announce its fines for off-the-field issues, such as publicly criticizing officials. KPRC-TV in Houston and NBC Sports reported the fine.

Texans running back Joe Mixon also received a fine for being critical of the officiating in the Jan. 18 game.

Among the calls catching flak was a roughing-the-passer penalty against Anderson on an incomplete pass by Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes on a third-and-8 snap at the Chiefs 33-yard line. Kansas City capitalized on the 15 yards and first down by completing the series with a field goal for a 6-3 lead with 3:59 left in the first quarter.

Roughing the passer typically is one of the infractions that merits a fine weekly for the offending player. But the NFL did not fine Anderson for the penalty.

• Marlon Humphrey rooting against the Kansas City Chiefs again
• Brian Robinson Jr. gets back on track in time for NFC Championship Game
• Daron Payne’s streak of starts for Washington to end at 88 games

Anderson is a second-year player who is the only two-time unanimous All-American selection in Alabama history. In his first NFL season, Anderson won the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year awards presented by The Associated Press and the Pro Football Writers of America.

FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at @AMarkG1.