Commanders DT Daron Payne Expecting NFL Punishment After Ejection vs Lions

Washington Commanders defensive tackle Daron Payne was disqualified in the second quarter Sunday after a helmeted punch to Detroit Lions receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown — a play that drew an immediate ejection on the field and will likely be reviewed by NFL discipline officials.

The altercation came amid a heated moment of the game, when Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs rushed in for a 13-yard score to put Detroit up 22-3 after a Washington punt.

Replays showed emotions spilling over after Detroit’s scoring play, when Payne struck St. Brown, and officials swiftly intervened.

Payne, a former first-round draft pick (No. 13 overall) and 2022 Pro Bowler, anchors Washington’s defensive front, and any potential punishment would deal a major blow to the unit.

#Commanders DT DaRon Payne randomly swung at #Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown.Payne has been ejected. pic.twitter.com/p9l4tWchC5 https://t.co/qOOegsdmil— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) November 9, 2025

Read More: Drake Maye Update Emerges as Patriots Extend Win Streak

The NFL’s football operations office reviews plays flagged by officials or referred by teams, applies its jointly negotiated fine schedule, and posts the prior week’s accountability and fine list on the league site every Saturday.

The Office will determine whether Payne is fined, whether the ejection will count as a suspension (time served), or whether a multi-game suspension is warranted.

Daron Payne #94 of the Washington Commanders runs off of the field at halftime during an NFL football game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland.

Read More: NFL Penalizes Steelers CB Jalen Ramsey for Actions During Colts Game

Based on recent precedent, Payne will likely face a fine in the low $10,000 to $15,000 range rather than a suspension, given his clean record and the fact that the punch, while unnecessary, wasn’t deemed overly violent.

Just the other day, the NFL fined Jacksonville’s Travon Walker $12,172 for a punch that led to his ejection, so we can probably expect a similar figure for Payne.

That said, the league has issued significantly larger fines for some helmet-use or egregious conduct cases; punishments vary by intent, injury risk, and whether the target was defenseless.

League procedure typically yields an initial report from beat reporters within 24-72 hours and an official listing in the NFL’s accountability update the following week; expect the first public notice from NFL Network reporters or the NFL’s operations page within the coming days.