Sports

NFL Fines Ja’Marr Chase For Touchdown Celebration The League Promoted On Social Media

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iStockphoto / Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

The NFL fined Ja'Marr Chase for a TD Celebration.


Ja’Marr Chase revealed that he was fined for a touchdown celebration performed during a win over the Texans. He emulated the “People’s Elbow,” a professional wrestling move previously made popular The Rock.

The league promoted that celly in a social media post on Sunday. Days later, it docked the wideout’s pay.

Chase kicked off the scoring during a game between the Bengals and Texans last weekend. He hauled in a 32-yard pass in the endzone to give his team a 7-0 lead.

The receiver was not penalized for his celebration in real time. The NFL’s official X account even reposted the play and celly on Sunday afternoon.

The celebration seemed innocent enough. He did not show up the defense. He did not perform an offensive gesture. Apparently, he violated NFL policy.

Ja’Marr Chase explains touchdown celebration.

Chase sat down with Chad Johnson and Annie Agar to provide some context. He confirmed that it was inspired by The Rock’s “People’s Elbow.” He added a first down celebration on the backend.

Teammate Tee Higgins, who was also seen performing the celebration, went into further detail during a sit-down with Kay Adams. He shared that he got “the letter” from the NFL.

The celebration has been shut down by the NFL. Higgins said social media “made it seem like something that it isn’t.” He did not disclose the financial punishment.

NFL hands out various player fines.

Ja’Marr Chase and Higgins were not the only players fined by the league this week. San Francisco 49er Kyle Juszcyk received a $14k fine for emulating a “beer chug.”

“Your imitation of chugging a beer constituted an offensive demonstration and could reasonably be construed as being in poor taste,” the NFL wrote in its fine letter.

Juszcyk says he does not drink beer. His nickname is “Juice.” The celebration was a play on that moniker. He’s already appealed the punishment.

Chase ripped the decision while referencing Juszcyk in his disdain.

“I think this is where the superstars have to get in with the NFLPA and fight for our money because if (Kyle Juszcyk) is getting fined for doing a drinking gesture, a juice gesture, then I mean I’m getting fined for an elbow doing the first down,” he said.

“I mean, I can’t really do much about it. We can complain. I don’t even think we can tweet about it because we get fined for tweeting about it… We got to have a superstar in the NFLPA to help us along the way.”

The fine doesn’t make much sense to Chase or Higgins. The NFL’s promotion of the celebration only makes the optics worse.

Unfortunately, it does not seem we’ll see the “People’s Elbow” celly moving forward. The Bengals’ stars will get back in the lab to create another dance that the league deems more appropriate.