Last week, we tabbed Chicago Bears linebacker Jon Bostic as one of 10 rookies ready to surprise this season.
Bostic received a surprise of his own Wednesday morning.
NFL.com's Ian Rapoport confirmed that Bostic was fined $21,000 for a hit the rookie made while playing last week against the San Diego Chargers. Rapoport said officials believe Bostic lowered his head against a defenseless player, which is a rule violation.
The hit came during the third quarter of Chicago's 33-28 preseason win over San Diego, when Bostic dropped the hammer on second-year Chargers wide receiver Mike Willie. The hit forced an incompletion and set the Bears' sideline on fire.
A replay of the tackle shows some helmet-to-helmet contact, but Bostic wraps his arms and delivers a tackle that officials didn't flag. The league clearly believes the play warranted a penalty.
"Bostic's going to square you up, form tackle you and make you remember," ESPN's Trent Dilfer remarked.
"Kind of looked Lance Briggs-esque," defensive end Corey Wootton told Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. "Everyone was saying, 'That's mini Lance over there.' It was a heck of a hit by him. He has been having a great preseason. He's been great so far."
The league has yet to confirm the fine, but if it sticks, it represents more than 5 percent of Bostic's $405,000 base salary.
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