49ers rookie defensive end Deforest Buckner was fined $9,115 by the NFL for a costly (in more ways than one) unnecessary roughness penalty in Sunday’s 34-17 loss to Tampa Bay.
Bucker earned the 15-yard penalty after shoving Buccaneers center Joe Hawley following a 17-yard completion at the end of the first half. The penalty helped turn the tide in Tampa Bay’s favor, leading to a touchdown that gave the Bucs a 17-14 lead going into the half, after San Francisco opened with a 14-0 lead for the second time this season.
Buckner was San Francisco’s seventh overall pick in this year’s draft and has recorded 36 tackles and two sacks in his first six games.