NFL fines Eagles Dom DiSandro $75,000 for sideline phone use

Philadelphia Eagles head of security and senior advisor Dom DiSandro was fined $75,000 by the NFL for using a cellphone on the team bench during the preseason game against the New York Jets on Aug. 22 at MetLife Stadium, league sources said. The team appealed, arguing DiSandro had only one foot in the bench area when he sent the message, but the league upheld the penalty.

The NFL prohibits electronic device use in the bench area under its sideline conduct rules, and league officials said the restriction applies equally to coaches, players and team personnel. The fine underscores the league’s emphasis on enforcing sideline regulations even during exhibition games and against nonplaying staff, where concerns about competitive integrity and uniform enforcement have grown in recent seasons.

Eagles officials maintained that DiSandro’s presence on game day is primarily operational and supportive. The club argued in its appeal that DiSandro was not fully inside the bench area when the text was sent, but that contention did not convince league authorities, according to people familiar with the matter. The Eagles declined to comment publicly on the decision.