Jets' Armand Membou Fined $14,926 for Removing Helmet in Chiefs Game

Armand Membou of the New York Jets was fined $14,926 for removing his helmet in a 35-12 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, Rich Cimini of ESPN reported.

The right tackle spiked the helmet on the field in the fourth quarter of the Nov. 8 game at Arrowhead Stadium. Officials flagged him for unsportsmanlike conduct on the play.

"I don't like losing," Membou said when explaining his actions.

Asked what set off the outburst, he repeated the line, and later he said with his jaw clenched, "I'm irritated we lost."

Membou did not want to talk about his overall performance in the game against Kansas City.

The Jets are 2-7 and third in the AFC East.

The penalty came on a third-and-10 from the Jets 20-yard line. Chiefs defensive lineman Chris Jones beat Membou and sacked quarterback Geno Smith on the play, which brought up fourth down.

Membou threw his helmet toward the ground while he was still in the field of play, which drew the flag.

Television cameras later caught Membou still upset on the Jets bench. The league fine for a first unsportsmanlike conduct offense runs up to $14,926, and it rises to $20,897 for a second offense.

The NFL gave Travis Hunter of the Jacksonville Jaguars the standard first-time fine for removing his helmet in Week 6.

Membou has played in 9 games and has 1 tackle this season. The Jets played without wide receiver Garrett Wilson in the game at Kansas City, where they did not score a touchdown.

Shortly before Membou's penalty, Smith flung his helmet toward the sideline after he was sacked on fourth down late in the game. He completed 18 of 32 passes for 165 yards and was sacked four times.

"Just frustrated with not getting it done," Smith said. "I'm always the type of guy that's going to look inward. So [I was] really just looking at myself and figuring out how can I be better for the guys and better for the team."

The Jets ran 32 offensive plays in Chiefs territory and finished the game without a touchdown.

"I mean, that's been [the case for] the last however many years we've been here," running back Breece Hall said when asked why the Jets struggle to reach the end zone. Hall arrived in 2022.

"It gets tough -- I know it does -- but there's belief because we've shown ... we can play at a high level," coach Aaron Glenn said. "A lot of times, I just go back to that and just show that [to the players], believing that we can continue to do that."

The Jets play the Buffalo Bills on Sunday at MetLife Stadium in Week 10. 

In his second stint with the Jets, Smith has 2,078 passing yards, 12 passing touchdowns and three interceptions. He's completing 67.5% of his passes.