Per the NFL’s infractions and fines schedule for 2023, an on-field unsportsmanlike conduct penalty carries a first-offense fine of $13,659 with a second-offense fine of $19,123. First-offense taunting penalties are $10,927 while second-offense fines are $16,391. If a player sends a football into the stands during their celebration they can be fined an additional $7,649 (with the second offense being $13,113). It’s also worth mentioning that the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the NFL and the National Football League Players Association states that these fines will increase by 3% every League Year, meaning touchdown celebrations will only cost even more next season.
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Calling an on-field penalty is ultimately at the discretion of the officials in a given game, making the individual calls somewhat subjective. This can also mean that the cut-off point for what constitutes too long and/or elaborate for a touchdown celebration varies widely depending on the official that day — which makes the rule even more complicated to enforce. It’s also important to mention that the NFL’s competition committee has the power to emphasize stricter adherence to certain calls ahead of new seasons. For instance, in 2021, taunting was emphasized more heavily and called more frequently by on-field officials per the NFL’s wishes. This means that, even though the rules as they are written are not being changed, enforcement changes can still affect player’s penalties in a season.
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