Vikings running back Jerick McKinnon delivered the dagger on Monday night, scoring a touchdown that turned a seven-point lead into the 24-10 final score. He celebrated in a manner that will cost him $12,154.
According to the league, the NFL imposed the fine for McKinnon’s post-score dance. Described in other places as a fine for “excessive” celebration, the fine actually arose from the moment when McKinnon, as Marshawn Lynch would describe it, grabbed his ding-ding.
NFL senior V.P. of officiating Dean Blandino explained in his weekly video for the media that sexually-suggestive celebrations will trigger flags and fines. McKinnon’s celebration was used as one of the examples of such violations.
The officials missed the move, which meant that the Vikings didn’t kick off from their own 20. Which surely saved the player from having a foot in his butt from Mike Zimmer as the follow-up to McKinnon’s hand on his ding-ding.
