The National Football League (NFL) has decided not to impose fines on the Dallas Cowboys for their recent Thanksgiving-themed touchdown celebrations, which caught both fans and critics off guard. During the November 23 game where the Cowboys triumphed with a resounding 45-10 victory over the Washington Commanders, the team took to an unusual but festive celebration that involved hidden turkey legs.
In what turned out to be a memorable moment, the Cowboys players, after scoring a significant touchdown in the fourth quarter, dashed to the Salvation Army kettles positioned near the end zones and retrieved foil-wrapped turkey legs they had stashed earlier. With only five minutes left in the game, this act of revelry was both eyebrow-raising and entertaining for those watching.
Typically, the winning team is seen enjoying a turkey leg after the conclusion of the game on national television, making the Cowboys' pre-final whistle celebration a departure from the norm. Commenting on the event, Sports Illustrated and CBS analyst Tony Romo, himself a former quarterback for the Cowboys, noted it was unprecedented, saying he had never "seen someone get before the game's over."
Tracy Wolfson, reporting from the sidelines, revealed that the decision to go ahead with this unique celebration was made at the start of the fourth quarter. The anticipation of the celebration appeared to energize the Cowboys, who went on to score another touchdown, further cementing their dominant performance.
Notable figures such as quarterback Dak Prescott, head coach Mike McCarthy, and team owner Jerry Jones were all reportedly part of the decision-making process behind the celebration. Prescott was later seen on the sidelines savoring a turkey leg, while McCarthy looked on with amusement.
A Surprising Leniency
The NFL's choice to forego fines in this instance left many surprised, given the league's history of strict enforcement against elaborate or unauthorized post-touchdown celebrations. The NFL, sometimes mockingly referred to as the 'No Fun League,' deemed this particular incident an exception.
This leniency comes as a surprise especially considering the league's past dealings with the Cowboys regarding similar matters. In 2016, Ezekiel Elliott, the team's former running back, was not fined for jumping into a kettle, yet in 2018, he was fined $13,369 for repeating the action.
Additionally, in 2022, both Elliott and Prescott faced fines of $13,261 each for unsportsmanlike conduct when they used the Salvation Army kettle as a prop during a touchdown celebration in a game against the Indianapolis Colts. That same game saw the team’s tight ends collectively fined a total of $27,094 for simulating a game of Whac-A-Mole around the kettle following a touchdown on Thanksgiving Day.
The inconsistency of the NFL's disciplinary actions has been a point of contention, highlighted by previous incidents involving other players. For example, Michael Thomas of the New Orleans Saints recreated a famous celebration by Joe Horn in 2003 by using a hidden flip phone after a touchdown in Week 9 of the 2018 season against the Los Angeles Rams. Thomas's homage earned him a 15-yard penalty and widespread acclaim, although it also resulted in a fine, mirroring Horn's original $30K fine.
Further criticism of the NFL's inconsistent punitive measures surfaced on social media recently when it was revealed that Tyreek Hill's videographer received a season-long ban for providing the star Miami Dolphins wide receiver with a phone to record a celebratory backflip.
While the NFL's decision not to fine the Cowboys may have come as a shock to many, it certainly added a layer of joy to the Thanksgiving festivities. It remains to be seen whether this marks a shift towards more leniency in the league's approach to celebrations or if it stands as a one-off exception to their traditionally stringent rules.
For now, the Cowboys can enjoy their victory and the lack of financial repercussions that often accompany such exuberant displays of celebration. As the season progresses, teams and fans alike will undoubtedly be watching closely to see how the NFL navigates the fine line between allowing players the freedom to express their joy and maintaining a standard of professionalism and decorum on the field.