We’ve railed on this before, most recently when Davante Adams was penalized and then fined after slamming the football over the goalpost in Detroit last year.
The NFL’s celebration rules are idiotic.
Well, soon we can say they were idiotic. Sometimes the league is tone deaf (see: marijuana), but in this case they actually listened to the conversation and did something about it.
They’re loosening up the celebration rules.
Roger Goodell is expected to tell NFL owners group celebrations, using ball as prop after TDs, going to ground, snow angels are now allowed.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) May 23, 2017
That doesn’t mean that any and everything is allowed, however.
Prolonged acts, miming weapons, offensive gestures, sexually suggestive stuff still expected to be banned. That includes twerking. Sorry, AB
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) May 23, 2017
And that’s just fine.
The Green Bay Packers were pretty much immune to these rules at home, since pretty much everyone does the Lambeau Leap. That’s actually a celebration that was grandfathered in to be exempt from any celebration rules.
However, as you’ve seen, guys can get in trouble on the road.
Interestingly, it exactly two months ago that the league released an instructional video on which celebrations were allowed and which weren’t. Packers tight end Martellus Bennett immediately told them what clowns they were.
So we’ve come a long way in a short time.
Now allowed: FUN!
So Tim Harris and his 6 shooter routine would be banned because “Durr, guns!” right? Maybe this could have been at the discretion of the refs with regard to weapons, but I can see it now. Ed Hochuli, a lawyer by trade, calls a penalty for SOMEONE simulating a golf putt, because a putter can be considered a weapon!