🚨 JUST IN: Luther Burden faces a hefty fine after a fiery on-field showdown with a Packers defender that has fans debating his future conduct.QQ
The NFL has issued a fine following a controversial on-field altercation that drew attention to questions of fairness and player conduct.
IMAGE: Green Bay Packers cornerback Keisean Nixon (25), cornerback Carrington Valentine (24) and safety Xavier McKinney (29) celebrate after Nixons game-sealing interception against the Chicago Bears in the second half at Lambeau Field. / USA TODAY NETWORK-USA TODAY NETWORK / USA TODAY Network via Imagn Imag
The NFL has weighed in on the scuffle between Bears rookie wideout Luther Burden III and Packers veteran cornerback Keisean Nixon from last Sunday’s NFC North clash – and the league’s verdict flips the in-game ruling on its head.
On the field, it was Nixon who took the fall. After Burden appeared to wrap his hands around Nixon’s neck – something that was clear as day on replay – Nixon shoved him off in retaliation.
The officials only caught Nixon’s reaction in real time, flagging him for unsportsmanlike conduct and handing the Packers a costly 15-yard penalty. Nixon was briefly benched after the incident, but the NFL clearly saw things differently once the tape was reviewed.
The league announced Saturday that Burden has been fined $11,075 for unnecessary roughness. Nixon, on the other hand, won’t be fined at all – a clear indication that the league viewed his response as a reaction to provocation, not an instigator.
To put Burden’s fine in context, the rookie receiver is working on a base salary of $840,000 this season. That breaks down to just under $47,000 per week during the regular season.
So that $11K fine? It’s nearly a quarter of his weekly game check – and that’s before taxes.
This is now the ninth time a Bears player has been fined by the league this season. For comparison, the Packers have drawn just six fines in 2025. That disparity doesn’t necessarily tell the whole story, but it does raise some questions about discipline and composure on a Bears team that’s still trying to find its identity under a young core.
As for Burden, this moment is a reminder that every action on the field – especially the ones that don’t get flagged in real time – is under the microscope. The NFL’s disciplinary office doesn’t miss much on film. And while physicality is part of the game, there’s a line – and the league clearly felt Burden crossed it.
