Chicago Bears’ Austin Booker Fined Over $11K for illegal its on Packers’ Jordan Love

Chicago Bears defensive end Austin Booker has been fined $11,636 by the NFL for two illegal hits on Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love during last weekend’s divisional matchup, including a helmet-to-helmet hit that left Love in the concussion protocol.

Costly hits impact playoff race
The second-quarter sack, which drew an immediate penalty, resulted in Love exiting the game and being placed in concussion protocol. He has since been ruled out for the Packers’ critical Saturday night game against the Baltimore Ravens. Rookie Malik Willis stepped in, completing 9 of 11 passes for 121 yards and a touchdown, but the Bears mounted a 10-point fourth-quarter comeback to win 22–16 in overtime. The victory extended Chicago’s lead in the NFC North; a Packers loss to the Ravens would clinch the division for the Bears for the first time since 2018.

Looking ahead with momentum
Now sitting at 11-4, the Bears turn their attention to a Sunday Night Football showdown against the San Francisco 49ers with more than just the division on the line—they have an outside shot at securing the NFC’s No. 1 seed, a feat the franchise hasn’t accomplished since 2006. They’ll wrap up the regular season next weekend against the Detroit Lions.

Rookie’s season highs overshadowed by fine
Booker, a fifth-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft out of Kansas, has posted career-best numbers this season with 29 tackles and 2.5 sacks. The 23-year-old has been a rotational piece for the Bears’ defensive front, but his physical play crossed a line in the eyes of the league office. While the fine is a footnote in a tight playoff race, it underscores the NFL’s continued emphasis on protecting quarterbacks from dangerous hits.