Ja'Marr Chase had one of those spectacular touchdown catches that everyone has to see to believe, showing incredible athleticism and composure as he hauled in a deep ball from Joe Burrow near the end zone, twisted his body, and then made sure his toes were in the corner for the TD before falling out of bounds. Now, some are wondering if the NFL noticed an apparent lewd touchdown celebration by the Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver after he scored in a 20-6 win against the Houston Texans on Sunday. After making the amazing catch, Chase stood up and, as the nearby referee signaled a touchdown, the Bengals star raised his bent arm and placed his hand underneath his elbow.
Chase began with one arm bent upward, then straightened it outward with one finger pointing, while keeping his opposite hand under his elbow. Some fans realized what his celebration meant and called it out, while others shrugged it off. However, some are wondering if the NFL could take action over it.
"I wonder how long it'll take [Commissioner Roger Goodell] to notice what this celly is," a parody account of Bijan Robinson posted on X along with a clip of Chase's highlight catch and celebration. More news: Ex-NFL RB Rips Baker Mayfield After Buccaneers Loss: ‘Not Worth That Money’ "It's an elephant trunk representing the movie Dumbo. He's calling his opponents Dumbos," a commenter joked.
Another wrote, "I legit thought it was spiderman web shooter when Tee [Higgins] did it last week. Once I found out it's meaning, I started cracking up." "I thought the same thing. Will be banned by next year," another commenter said.
"I promise Goodell doesn’t follow 'InBijanWeTrust' nor can he ban that there’s literally no way to prove it, it’s just an iykyk," a popular comment said, responding to some commenters calling the original X poster a "snitch." The NFL previously banned sexually suggestive acts during games, so if Goodell and the league determine Chase's celebration meant what many are indicating, it could bring a hefty fine. During his rookie season as quarterback for the Cleveland Browns eight years ago, Baker Mayfield made a similar gesture during a game, but near his groin area. An ESPN report from December 2018 called it "an apparent lewd gesture" and reported that Mayfield, now with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, was fined $ 10,026 by the league for unsportsmanlike conduct.
The NFL issued Week 1 fines several days ago. Washington Commanders receiver Stefon Diggs received a $14,926 fine for unsportsmanlike conduct after his touchdown celebration in Week 1 against the Philadelphia Eagles. The NFL report notes his fine was for "Illegal celebrations and vulgar acts." According to multiple commenters, Chase's teammate, Tee Higgins, used a similar celebration but wasn't fined for his actions in the team's win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
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