Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott drew a 15-yard penalty when he scored a touchdown and celebrated by jumping into an oversized Salvation Army kettle on Sunday night. But he won’t be punished beyond that.
The NFL confirmed today that Elliott won’t be fined for the celebration, which drew a lot of attention on social media -- including from the Salvation Army, which appreciated Elliott’s gesture.
On the one hand, the NFL’s decision only reinforces the idea that the league’s fines and penalties for celebrations are wildly inconsistent: Some weeks, players who weren’t penalized on the field get fined for a celebration. Other weeks, players who were penalized don’t get fined.
On the other hand, this seems like a bit of common sense from the NFL: Elliott was just having fun and giving some attention to a cause the NFL supports. That ought to be embraced as a good thing, and not punished.