Cincinnati Bengals Running Back Fined $5,000 for Salvation Army Kettle Celebration
Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown was fined $5,000 by the NFL for celebrating a touchdown in a Salvation Army kettle earlier this month. Brown’s 19-yard touchdown pass from Joe Burrow put the Bengals up 14-10 in the second quarter of the game against the Dallas Cowboys. The Bengals went on to win 27-20.
Brown celebrated by jumping into the Salvation Army kettle, which has since become a popular trend. However, the NFL viewed the celebration as unsportsmanlike conduct and levied the fine.
Speaking on The Athletic’s “Scoop City” podcast, Brown expressed his intentions to appeal the fine. “I’m appealing it tomorrow,” he said. “I would rather like cut it in half, and then we just donate it to The Salvation Army. They’re the ones who are getting all the attention, so I’m happy to help them out.”
The Salvation Army has partnered with the Cowboys for more than three decades on various initiatives. Brown’s touchdown celebration drew attention to the organization, which aims to raise funds for those in need during the holiday season.
The fine is the latest in a series of penalties handed out to players for using the Salvation Army kettle as a celebration prop. Dallas Cowboys players such as Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott, and Sean McKeon have also been fined for similar antics in recent years.