Rule Change : Relaxed Celebration Rules

NFL relaxing touchdown celebration rules for players - NFL.com

The NFL is putting the fun back in football.

On Tuesday, the league announced it will relax rules on celebrations.

Bring on the fade-away jumpers, snow angels, and group dances.

Roger Goodell on new celebration policy: Still want to hold players to high standards00:00/00:59

In a letter to fans from Commissioner Roger Goodell, the NFL said it wants to allow players "more room to have fun after they make big plays."

Goodell spoke with more than 80 current and former NFL players about relaxing the rules on celebrations.

"We know that you love the spontaneous displays of emotion that come after a spectacular touchdown," the Commissioner said in the letter. "And players have told us they want more freedom to be able to express themselves and celebrate their athletic achievements."

Goodell elaborated on the decision after Tuesday's Spring League Meeting in Chicago wrapped up.

"We saw a lot of interest in liberalizing and allowing the players a little more freedom to be able to express their joy, their individuality and frankly celebrate the game," Goodell said. "So that's what we think we've accomplished here. There will be an ongoing dialogue with a lot of parties to make sure that we implement it."

Examples of celebrations to be allowed under the new guidelines:

» Using the football as a prop after a touchdown

» Celebrating on the ground

» Group demonstrations

The relaxed rules aren't a free for all. Offensive demonstrations, celebrations that are prolonged and delay the game, and celebrations directed at an opponent, will still be penalized, the letter said, in order continue "sportsmanship, clean competition, and setting good examples for young athletes."

In short, three-pump twerking is still a no-go.

"[Team owners] recognize that sportsmanship is an important thing for [players] to demonstrate on the field in large part because of the people who are watching," Goodell said. "And also to keep high standards and that's something that is why we will want to continue to have their involvement."

The decision to let players celebrate more freely is a long-awaited relief for players and fans alike. Commence the creativity

This has disaster written all over it.

Players should be allowed to celebrate more.

I could care less. Don't let them get in the end zone. That simple.

Somewhere 85 is planning a comeback.

Bengals coach Marvin Lewis is not happy about the NFL's decision to make the league more fun by loosening its strict celebration rules. Lewis ripped the new rules Tuesday for setting a bad example for young people.

Via ESPN's Katherine Terrell:

"I'm not for that at all," Lewis, who is on the NFL Competition Committee, said of the change. "We had a good standard, and the whole standard has always been, you want to teach people how to play the game the correct way and go about it the correct way, and that's not a very good example for young people."

Lewis said he didn't like the idea of emphasizing individuals in a team sport.

"The rules were changed for a reason, and I thought we had a good outcome," he said. "Again, this is a team game, and ... I don't understand why we want to give in to individual celebrations."

"I'm not for that at all," Lewis, who is on the NFL Competition Committee, said of the change. "We had a good standard, and the whole standard has always been, you want to teach people how to play the game the correct way and go about it the correct way, and that's not a very good example for young people."

This is probably my least favorite phrase in all of athletics. If I lived to be 10 million years old and heard it on that birthday it would still be too soon.

Cracking up over Marvin Lewis comments.

Dear Marvin,

Do you know what else isn't a good example to young people? Having Adam Jones on your team.

Dear Marvin,

 

Do you know what else isn't a good example to young people? Having Adam Jones on your team.

I guess thats fair, cause no other team has ever had criminals on their team, or murders...(allegedly) Signed Ravens.

This has disaster written all over it.

I agree, can't wait!

This has disaster written all over it.

Hyperbole much?

Hyperbole much?

Not really in the context of an NFL game. Things were out of control so the NFL made rules. Even those rules were somewhat subjective they were about as clear as they could be and even at that there were problems with uneven enforcement.

Now it is opened back up and it will be totally subjective as to what is a flag and what is not. So by Week 2 there will be clarifications and the Titans complaining that they got flagged for basically the same thing the Seahawks did but they did not get a flag.....and players trying to one up each other and coaches mad at players and so on.

Then the next Chad-like star player will be allowed to do more than some slub that scored two TDs in his life because he is Chad. Then some OL guys will be like the Cavs after they win a game and after each TD each OL guy has to have his own celebration ritual with every other OL guy.

As long as they dont suspend players for retaliating when it crosses a line, Im good with it.

So what do you think so far? Of course if you are a Bengals fan you really have not seen any TDs. But if you have watched any other games ???.................And now the NFL is sending out rulings on celebrations.