The NFL fined Bengals running back Chase Brown $5,481 for unsportsmanlike conduct for his touchdown celebration on Monday night.
Brown celebrated his 19-yard touchdown reception by jumping into one of the Salvation Army kettles behind the end zone at AT&T Stadium.
Officials did not penalize Brown.
The NFL has been inconsistent over the years in its decision whether to fine celebrations in the kettles. Sometimes they do. Sometimes they don’t.
None of the Cowboys players who celebrated a touchdown in one of the kettles on Thanksgiving Day in 2023 were fined. That celebration included several players eating turkey legs that were stashed in the kettles.
Running back Ezekiel Elliott was not fined for a leap into the kettle in 2016, but he was fined $13,369 for the same thing in 2018. Elliott and Prescott each were docked $13,261 for unsportsmanlike conduct in 2022 for a “Zeke-in-the-box” celebration.
Four of the team’s tight ends did a Whac-a-Mole celebration in the kettle a week earlier in 2022 and were not penalized but were fined.
In 2017, former Seahawks cornerback Justin Coleman was penalized for jumping into one of the red kettles after a pick-six but was not fined.
NFL celebration rules prohibit players from using props, but the league should look the other way considering the positive publicity the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle campaign receives for the celebrations.
The Bengals placed linebacker Joe Bachie on injured reserve Saturday, the team announced.
Bachie injured his groin Monday night against the Cowboys, and coach Zac Taylor indicated Wednesday that Bachie will miss multiple games. Thus, Bachie’s season is finished unless the Bengals somehow make the postseason.
Bachie has played only 37 defensive snaps in 12 games this season but was a core special teams player with 220 special teams snaps.
The Bengals signed quarterback Logan Woodside from the practice squad to the active roster in a corresponding move. Woodside, a fifth-year player, has spent the first 13 games of this season on Cincinnati’s practice squad.
The move will allow him to dress for Sunday’s game and serve as the emergency third quarterback behind Joe Burrow and Jake Browning.
The Bengals also elevated offensive tackle Andrew Coker and kicker Cade York for Sunday’s game against the Titans.
In the same week Bill Belichick went back to school, Carson Palmer is taking it even more literally.
The former NFL quarterback will take over as head coach at the high school he attended.
On Friday, Santa Margarita Catholic High School in Orange County, California hired Palmer.
Palmer, 44, went from Santa Margarita to USC to the first pick in the draft. He played for the Bengals, Raiders, and Cardinals.
He’s currently 15th on the all-time passing yardage list, with 46,247.
Palmer will make his debut against Mission Viejo, which is coached by former USC and NFL quarterback Rob Johnson.
Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow came out of Monday night’s win over the Cowboys with a knee issue, but it won’t impact his availability for Sunday’s game against the Titans.
Burrow was limited in practice on Wednesday and Thursday before returning to full practice participation. Burrow has no injury designation, which leaves him on track to start in Tennessee.
Left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. (fibula), defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins (illness), and linebacker Joe Bachie (groin) all missed practice every day this week and they have been ruled out for Sunday.
Wide receiver Charlie Jones (groin) returned for a limited practice on Friday and he is the only Bengals player with an injury designation.
Titans quarterback Will Levis aggravated his right shoulder injury last Sunday, but it won’t impact his availability for Sunday’s game against the Bengals.
Levis fully participated in all three days of practice this week and he did not receive an injury designation on Friday. Levis missed three games with the injury earlier this season, but Sunday’s game will be his seventh straight start.
Running back Tony Pollard is not sure to be playing alongside Levis in the backfield. He returned to practice on Friday after missing two days with an ankle injury and he’s been listed as questionable to play against Cincinnati.
Linebacker Otis Reese (ankle), tackle Jaelyn Duncan (hamstring), and cornerback Roger McCreary (shoulder) are also listed as questionable for Tennessee.
