Tytus Howard, the veteran offensive lineman for the Cleveland Browns, has become the recipient of the NFL’s largest fine for the 2026 season so far, totaling $12,537. This penalty stems from his actions during the Browns' preseason opener against the Chicago Bears on August 15, where Cleveland suffered a 34-10 defeat.

During the game, Howard was penalized for unnecessary roughness after tripping an opponent on the first play of the Browns' second possession. Despite this setback, the Browns managed to score their first points of the preseason thanks to kicker Andre Szmyt, who successfully converted a 50-yard field goal.

Howard's fine stands out as it exceeds the typical amounts handed out during the preseason. Among the 25 players fined this season, only two received fines over $10,000. The second player to surpass this threshold is Oluwafemi Oladejo, an outside linebacker for the Tennessee Titans, who was fined $10,625 for a face mask penalty.

In total, the league has fined players $163,513, averaging $6,541 per player. According to Pro Football Talk, the fines collected are donated to the Professional Athletes Foundation and the NFL Foundation, both of which support health and safety initiatives in football.

At 30 years old, Howard signed a lucrative two-year, $45 million contract after being traded from Houston to Cleveland in March. As the 23rd overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, he has started all 97 regular-season games throughout his career, including four playoff games over the last two seasons.