The NFL announced on Monday that Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott won’t be fined for excessive celebration after he was penalized for it on Sunday night for leaping into a Salvation Army kettle to celebrate a touchdown.
One of Elliott’s fellow NFC East players noted that decision with some surprise. One of the five fines that Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham has been hit with this season was for excessive celebration and went on Twitter to share his belief that the league wouldn’t have reacted the same way had he done the same thing as Elliott.
That's funny there's no fine for that. I could only imagine if I was the one to do it. Just bein honest .
— Odell Beckham Jr (@obj) December 19, 2016
Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell replied to Beckham to say he felt the same way and pointed out that he and wide receiver Antonio Brown were fined “for a handshake” that was determined to be excessive after a touchdown.
In another tweet, Beckham said Elliott is his “homie” and that he’s talking about league “standards.” Setting those standards and sticking with them is something the league has had a hard time with on the celebration front -- see dueling responses to snow angels -- and with other off-field issues that have led many to believe that standards are bent to fit the league’s whims on a case-by-case basis.
