In an unexpected twist, the NFL has opted not to impose fines on the Dallas Cowboys for their recent Thanksgiving-themed touchdown celebrations. The festive antics took place during a resounding 45-10 triumph over the Washington Commanders on November 23. In a departure from the norm, Cowboys players indulged in turkey legs hidden inside Salvation Army kettles situated near the end zones.
The celebratory moment unfolded after a significant fourth-quarter touchdown when players dashed to the kettle and retrieved foil-wrapped turkey legs they had stashed away. With just five minutes left on the game clock, the feast commenced, raising eyebrows and eliciting chuckles from fans and commentators alike.
This deviation from tradition, where the winning team typically savors a turkey leg on national television post-game, was noted by CBS analyst and former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo as unprecedented. "It's the first time I've seen someone eat before the game's over," Romo remarked during the broadcast.
Tracy Wolfson, reporting from the sidelines, revealed that the Cowboys' decision to go ahead with the celebration was made at the start of the final quarter. Propelled by this premeditated jubilation, the Cowboys' offense scored another touchdown, further cementing their victory.
Notably, key figures such as quarterback Dak Prescott, head coach Mike McCarthy, and team owner Jerry Jones were involved in orchestrating the celebration. Prescott was later seen relishing a turkey leg on the sideline, while McCarthy appeared visibly entertained by the proceedings.
A Surprising Leniency
The NFL's decision to forgo fines has left many in the sports community both astonished and relieved. Known for its stringent rules against elaborate or unauthorized touchdown celebrations—earning the moniker 'No Fun League'—the league's ruling in this instance is a notable exception.
This leniency comes as a particular surprise given the league's history of penalizing the Cowboys for similar actions. For instance, in 2016, Ezekiel Elliott, then a running back for the Cowboys, escaped a fine for jumping into a Salvation Army kettle, but in 2018, he wasn't so lucky, receiving a $13,369 fine for repeating the act.
In a more recent case from 2022, both Elliott and Prescott faced fines of $13,261 each for unsportsmanlike conduct after using 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 fined a combined total of $27,094 for mimicking a game of Whac-A-Mole around the kettle after a touchdown on Thanksgiving Day.
The NFL's inconsistent disciplinary measures have also been highlighted in other incidents. In Week 9 of the 2018 season, Michael Thomas of the New Orleans Saints recreated a celebration originally performed by Joe Horn in 2003. After scoring a touchdown against the Los Angeles Rams, Thomas retrieved a hidden flip phone from under the goalpost and pretended to make a call, which led to a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and a hefty fine of $30,000.
Contrastingly, the NFL faced criticism on social media recently when it was revealed that Tyreek Hill's videographer received a season-long ban for providing the Miami Dolphins wide receiver with a phone to record a backflip—a seemingly harsher punishment compared to past incidents.
The inconsistency in the NFL's punitive actions has often been a point of contention among fans and players alike. While some celebrations are met with fines and penalties, others, like the Cowboys' Thanksgiving feast, are unexpectedly overlooked. This disparity can sometimes leave observers puzzled about the criteria the league uses to determine which actions cross the line.
As the NFL navigates the balance between maintaining sportsmanship and allowing players to express their joy and creativity, this latest incident serves as a reminder of the ongoing debate surrounding celebration penalties. The Cowboys' turkey-leg celebration may have been given a pass this time, but the conversation about what constitutes acceptable on-field celebration is far from over.