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NFL to Decide on Punishment for Vikings' Levi Rodriguez After Caleb Williams Incident
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- NFL to Decide on Punishment for Vikings' Levi Rodriguez After Caleb Williams Incident
The Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings both headed into their Week 2 matchup at Soldier Field looking to win a second straight game. It marked one of the better matchups of the week, with Ben Johnson's offense set to take on Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores' defense.
Chicago specifically was looking to continue their offensive dominance after putting up 59 points in their regular season opener against the Carolina Panthers .
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While the Bears ground game was dominant, so was quarterback Caleb Williams at the helm. The former USC standout and first overall pick completed 21 of 29 passes for two touchdowns without turning the ball over once.
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18).Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images
The game got off to a slow start with the first quarter ending tied at 3-3, as neither team was able to get anything going in the weather conditions.
During the first quarter there was a notable play involving Williams and Vikings defensive lineman Levi Rodriguez that resulted in offsetting penalties.
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During the drive, the Bears were called for holding Rodriguez; however, Rodriguez then hit Williams low, which is not permitted and resulted in a roughing the passer penalty. The NFL will now have to decide if the play warrants further punishment.
Per the NFL fines and appeals schedule , roughing the passer penalties on a first offense result in a $17,911 fine. Given that the contact appeared unintentional, it does not seem likely that the NFL will punish Rodriguez further beyond what was already called on the field.
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The winner of the matchup between Chicago and Minnesota will hold sole possession of first place in the NFC North, given both the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers have already lost this week.
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This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Sep 20, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
