There’s seven minutes and 48 seconds left in the second quarter when it happens. Dropping back, Kirk Cousins, quarterback of the Washington Redskins, hits new tight end Vernon Davis for a 13-yard touchdown.
Davis strolls into the end zone with a purpose, takes the pigskin and tosses it in the air as if he’s shooting a jumpshot. The ball harmlessly falls to the turf, along with a flag for excessive celebration from the official. Davis has cost his team 15-yards on the succeeding kickoff for having fun.
“That’s using the ball and the goalpost as a prop,” said Dean Blandino, NFL vice president of Officiating in reference to touchdown celebrations by Davis and Odell Beckham. “That’s a violation of the rule. You can’t dunk the ball over the goalpost, shoot the ball, finger roll, all of that is illegal — using the football and the goalpost as a prop. Fifteen-yard penalty, it’s enforced on the kickoff, so Washington kicked off from their own 20-yard line.”
Technically, he’s right. Davis should have been penalized according to the letter of the law. The problem is these rules are ridiculous.
The NFL oftentimes tries to present itself as the moral arbiter of goodness and rightness. Roger Goodell speaks about “protecting the shield” in seemingly every press conference.
Sports are fun. They’re supposed to bring people together and allow players to work hard to accomplish a goal. Yes, there’s a time to be serious, but that doesn’t automatically take away the ability to be yourself.
This flag for having fun was not the first this season and won’t be the last. Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown has been one of the main recipients of these types of penalties.
He was fined a combined $20,000 after the first game of the season for a celebratory twerking dance and not wearing the proper shoes. Just two games ago, he was threatened to be benched by the league for donning Muhammad Ali tribute cleats.
It’s outrageous a league that should be trying to build stars and personas would try to limit the voice of one of their best players. It doesn’t just hurt Brown. It hurts the entire league.
The NFL is a behemoth that is constantly trying to maintain total and complete control, but it seems that endeavor has come with a cost.
The best part of playing football, at least to me, is trying to decide on a celebration touchdown. What dance would I do when I reached the fictional end zone? I rarely made it to the other side, but those few special times when I did you’re damn right I’d be dancing.
Limiting the players’ fun ultimately won’t hurt the NFL’s bottom line, however it does hurt the overall product and discourages the players from being themselves.
Dear NFL,
Calm down.
Sincerely,
Everybody
gigottfr@indiana.edu
@gott31
