The NFL fined Saints wide receiver Chris Olave $11,941 on Saturday for taunting during New Orleans’ Week 2 win over the Baltimore Ravens. The league announced the penalty six days after the Saints beat the Ravens 24-17 at M&T Bank Stadium.
Officials flagged Olave for unsportsmanlike conduct in the first quarter after a 20-yard reception from quarterback Tyler Shough. The catch came with 2:20 left in the period. Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey shoved Olave out of bounds, and the receiver was then called for taunting.
The 15-yard penalty wiped out most of the field position the play had gained.
League records list $11,941 as the standard first-offense fine for taunting. A second violation carries a $17,911 penalty.
The flag did not keep Olave from producing a productive afternoon. He finished with eight catches for 86 yards and a touchdown, leading New Orleans in receiving.
Shough later connected with Olave on a scoring pass that helped the Saints pull even in the fourth quarter. Travis Etienne converted the two-point try.
Shough scored the go-ahead touchdown himself on a one-yard run with 1:28 remaining. The victory gave the Saints their first win of the season after they dropped their opener.
Olave has been a focal point of the offense since the team locked him up long term in the offseason. The Saints announced a multi-year contract extension with the former first-round pick on July 30. Subsequent reports described a four-year deal worth up to $132 million that included about $90 million in guarantees.
Entering 2026, Olave had 291 receptions for 3,728 yards and 19 touchdowns across his first four NFL seasons. He posted career highs of 100 catches, 1,163 yards and nine scores in 2025.
The fine arrives as the league continues to treat taunting as a point of emphasis. The 2026 rulebook classifies “baiting or taunting acts or words that may engender ill will between teams” as unsportsmanlike conduct. Those fouls draw a 15-yard penalty on the field and can trigger additional discipline after review.
NFL Football Operations posts weekly accountability decisions on Saturdays. Players receive a letter, video of the play and information on how to appeal. Money is withheld from a later paycheck if the fine stands.
Enforcement has stayed tight after officials and the competition committee cited rises in violent gestures and other unsportsmanlike acts in recent seasons. First-offense taunting fines have landed in the $11,000-plus range for several players already this year.
Shough completed 27 of 34 passes for 252 yards in the Baltimore game and accounted for two touchdowns. The Saints outscored the Ravens 15-0 in the fourth quarter after trailing late.
New Orleans now turns to a Week 3 home matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders as it tries to build on the win.
Olave’s production and the new contract make him a central piece of that effort. The fine is a reminder that even productive plays can carry a cost when officials and the league office view a gesture as crossing the line.
