The NFL will not punish Baker Mayfield after he took a ZYN during the Tampa Bay Buccaneers‘ defeat by the Baltimore Ravens on Monday night.
According to ESPN’s Jenna Laine, Mayfield will receive a letter reminding him that nicotine is prohibited by the NFL on the sidelines and during interviews. However, he’ll face no further action.
ESPN’s cameras cut to the Bucs sideline at the start of the third quarter of Monday Night Football with the Buccaneers losing 17-10.
As Mayfield took his seat on the bench, he opened up a tin and put something white into his mouth.
An alternative to traditional chewing tobacco products, ZYN is a nicotine pouch, which, it’s claimed by manufacturers, does not contain tobacco.
The NFL will not punish Baker Mayfield after he took a ZYN during Monday Night Football
Eagle-eyed NFL fans immediately took to social media and gave mixed opinions.
While some were quick to declare Mayfield ‘a champ’ and him taking ZYN ‘what the world needs’, the manufacturers were quick to remind him not to do it in public.
In a statement to TMZ, Swedish Match said: ‘Swedish Match appreciates its loyal consumers and encourages them not to show the product in any situation where someone under 21 years old could see it.
‘The product is marketed only to current nicotine consumers 21 years old and over as a better alternative to continued smoking and other traditional tobacco products.’
NFL rules state players cannot use alcohol or tobacco products on the playing field and during interviews.
Back in April the pouches were the fastest-growing segment of the tobacco industry, which has struggled for decades to replace falling cigarette sales.
Users stick them between their lip and gums, where they slowly release low levels of nicotine that are absorbed into the bloodstream.
Mayfield clearly needed something to take the edge off on a miserable night for Tampa Bay
Because pouches generally don’t contain tobacco, there’s no spitting, unlike older products like chew and snuff.
Mayfield clearly needed something to take the edge off on what was a miserable night for Tampa Bay.
Chris Godwin suffered a horrific dislocated ankle in the closing stages of the Bucs’ 41-31 loss.
It came with about a minute left and Tampa Bay trailing by 10, leading many to slam Bucs coach Todd Bowles for keeping him in the game.
They also lost fellow receiver Mike Evans to a hamstring injury, which is expected to keep him out until at least Week 12.
Evans was the first one to go down, clutching at his right hamstring after failing to hold on to a potential 24-yard touchdown reception with 7:31 left in the first half.
He was able to walk to the locker room under his own power but did not return to the game.
