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Malik Mustapha avoids another flag for hit on defenseless player, but a second fine is likely

San Francisco 49ers safety Malik Mustapha has now faced two separate instances of helmet-to-helmet contact on defenseless receivers in consecutive games, neither of which were flagged on the field. During the Week 6 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks, Mustapha delivered a hit on Jaxon Smith-Njigba late in the game that would have given Seattle a first down at the 49ers’ 35-yard line, potentially altering the outcome of a three-point deficit with under a minute remaining.

The NFL later fined Mustapha $6,998 for the play, marking the second time this season he has avoided a flag but received disciplinary action for similar contact. In the previous game against the Washington Commanders, Mustapha hit Stefon Diggs early in the first drive, a play that was not called by officials but was widely criticized as a clear violation under league rules.

With this second fine, Mustapha is now one illegal hit away from an automatic suspension under the NFL’s revised policy on repeated safety violations, and the early timing of the second infraction suggests the third could come sooner rather than later.

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