Broncos players fined for hits to Cam Newton during NFL season opener

(Image credit: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Denver Broncos safety Darian Stewart and linebacker Brandon Marshall were fined for aggressive hits to Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton in last Thursday's NFL season opener. Stewart was fined $18,231 for a helmet-to-helmet clash early in the game that sent Newton sprawling and earned Stewart a flag, while Marshall was fined $24,309 for "impermissible use of a helmet," though he was not flagged on the corresponding play during the game, an anonymous insider told ESPN.

The Broncos have defended their play, with head coach Gary Kubiak telling The Denver Post, "I mean, [Newton's] a top player in football — they are designed runs for him. You better tackle him like a back [...] We were playing hard. They were playing hard. They knocked the heck out of us a lot too."

The league is also reviewing hits on Newton by Broncos cornerback Bradley Roby and linebacker Von Miller. The Broncos defeated the Panthers 21-20 in the game.

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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.