The NFL issued no fines for the #Cowboys’ Salvation Army kettle-hopping, turkey leg-eating celebrations in their Thanksgiving blowout of Washington, I’m told.
Happy holidays, everyone. pic.twitter.com/EP611Bjo1Q
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) December 2, 2023
Here’s a double standard from the league office. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissesro reports that the Dallas Cowboys will not be fined for their celebratory antics in their Thanksgiving Day win over the Washington Commanders — with players having stashed turkey legs inside Salvation Army kettles near the end zones to enjoy after scoring a big touchdown.
That’s the good news. This celebration didn’t hurt or upset anyone; if anything, it led to an outpouring of fan engagement on social media. Using props in celebrations like this may be against the rules, but it’s not harmful, and it’s good that the players were not punished for it.
Now the bad news. It’s a double standard by the NFL to not penalize anyone with fines after the league office took $30,000 from Michael Thomas. The New Orleans Saints wide receiver paid tribute to Joe Horn’s iconic cell phone celebration in a 2018 win against the Los Angeles Rams, having hidden flip phones under each goalpost to poste with in the event of a score. His game-winning touchdown catch met the criteria, and it was a widely-lauded moment.
But the NFL didn’t think so. And it’s not right for commissioner Roger Goodell and his decision-makers in New York to punish some players and let others get off scot-free. Unless they’re giving the green light for props in celebrations by not issuing any fines to Cowboys players, the league office should be consistent with this policy. It’s great that no one in Dallas lost money because of it. It’s a shame that Thomas did, and that other players likely will in the future. Either have the policy and enforce it fairly, or don’t bother with it all.
