Denver Broncos safety T.J. Ward won't be suspended for a "blow to the head" and the subsequent altercation with Kansas City Chiefs receiver Jeremy Maclin on Sunday, but he will face a hefty fine for the incident, sources told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter on Monday.
Ward was penalized and ejected for launching himself for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Maclin after Maclin tried to block Ward at the end of Charcandrick West's catch-and-run touchdown with 11:10 remaining in the Broncos' 29-13 loss to the Chiefs.
Ward then took a swing at Maclin while the two players landed on the ground after the hit.
NFL spokesman Michael Signora confirmed Monday that the NFL is reviewing the incident as part of the "standard review process," which means Ward is subject to a fine.
"I got emotional," said Ward, who was worried he would be suspended for the incident. "I didn't really punch him. I don't even think that I punched him, if you see it, but it looked like a windup. You can take it how it is.
"It was an emotional game. A hard-fought [game] for us, defensively, with a lot of things going on that you guys weren't able to see. I lost control."
Ward, however, continued to say the Chiefs were "a pretty dirty team" and "were doing cheap things all game."
"It was their team as a whole," Ward said. "They were a pretty dirty team: the O-linemen, receivers and tight ends. They were doing it last game, and they continued to do it this game. It took an effect on me."
Maclin took offense to Ward's claims and responded on Twitter.
I'm cheap and dirty but you got ejected....oh ok makes sense
— Jeremy Maclin (@jmac___19) November 16, 2015Coach Gary Kubiak has been harping on Denver's proclivity for personal fouls (a league-leading 19), so he sounded exasperated Monday when asked about Ward's ejection.
"It was another frustrating penalty, with two guys going at it at the end of a tough touchdown," Kubiak said. "We can't lose our captain on the football field. He knows that, but I don't expect it to go any further than that."
The incident comes just one week after Broncos cornerback Aqib Talib was suspended for one game because of a post-play jab into the eye of Indianapolis Colts tight end Dwayne Allen.
Last week, Ward was fined a total of $23,150 by the NFL for a hit on Colts receiver T.Y. Hilton and for having his jersey untucked.
Ward also was suspended for the season opener for a violation of the NFL's personal conduct policy stemming from an incident in May 2014.
ESPN Broncos reporter Jeff Legwold and The Associated Press contributed to this report.