From the HERE City National Desk
NFL players can now mime drinking a beverage after a big play without being disciplined, the league and the NFL Players Association said Wednesday in a joint statement.
The statement said recent celebrations imitating drinking a beverage will not be considered violations. It follows a string of fines for such celebrations that began after Week 2, including one against San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk, who said he was pretending to drink juice. Juszczyk later won an appeal of that fine. Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson was also fined and said he was mimicking a drink from a sports drink bottle.
The league also changed how it handles celebrations in a gray area. Instead of fining a player right away, the NFL will contact him and give direction first, and he will be fined only if he keeps using a celebration the league has flagged.
Some gestures remain off limits and can draw a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, a fine or both. Those include gestures that depict violence, weapons or gang signs, and gestures that depict smoking or drug use.
The statement said clear, consistent guidance lets players express themselves while upholding the sportsmanship of the game.
