The NFL deemed the celebratory gestures Ja'Marr Chase paired with his two touchdown catches against the Houston Texans to be worthy of a disciplinary fine.
The Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver said during a Sept. 24 news conference that he was fined for the gestures − an extension of his right arm − when asked if the league had been in contact with him this past week.
In a separate interview, wide receiver Tee Higgins also confirmed he was contacted by the NFL regarding discipline for the gesture during an interview with Kay Adams on her "Up and Adams" streaming show.
Chase and Higgins had referred to the celebration as "the people's elbow," and Chase demonstrated it during his news conference at Paycor Stadium, calling it "an elbow and doing a first-down
(gesture)." Later, he likened it to a wrestling move popularized by former pro wrestler Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. Chase also demonstrated it on his podcast with Annie Agar.
The NFL apparently determined Chase's and Higgins' new celebration needed to be shutdown.
Chase said he would love to appeal the fine, adding: "Bro, at the end of the day, I can't say what something we made up, and then everybody else saying what it is. I can't sit there and say that."
"Everybody gonna have their opinion on what it look like, what it is. They had many people talking about what it looked like, what it is but I can't really sit here and say, 'that's what it is.' You know? Obviously, that's not what it is, but it is what it is."
Chase said NFL superstars should work with the NFL Players Association to protect players' ability to celebrate how they want to. He was also unsure if he was able to continue using the gesture.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Ja'Marr Chase, NFL at odds over meaning of touchdown celebration
