Minnesota Vikings running back Alexander Mattison was fined on Friday for his touchdown celebration against the New York Jets, which went viral but cost him a chunk of money.
According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Mattison was fined $6,503 for his touchdown celebration in the second quarter of the Vikings’ win over the Jets where he appeared to feign a hamstring injury before going to the ground and twerking.
The NFL fined #Vikings RB Alexander Mattison $6,503 for this viral celebration last week, per source.
That’s $2,167 per twerk. pic.twitter.com/LwNK0PjCWc
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) December 9, 2022
Mattison took to social media and noted that the NFL shared the celebration on Twitter, Instagram and other mediums before issuing the fine. He also wondered how the NFL came up with the exact dollar amount as $6,503 sounds odd opposed to an even amount of $6,500.
And I just wanna know who sits there and comes up with these random number amounts for fines 😂
— Alexander Mattison (@AlexMattison22) December 9, 2022
Mattison isn’t the first Vikings player to be fined for celebration this season as Dalvin Cook was fined $7,426 for throwing a ball into the stands after a touchdown against the Miami Dolphins. Cook reduced the fine after taking an online course but it’s unclear whether Mattison can do the same.
It’s also unclear whether Mattison could have avoided the fine if he was a defensive player. The Vikings’ defense has had several group celebrations go viral this season but none of them have generated a fine.
And the award for NFL celebration of the year goes to… pic.twitter.com/ni0VmluOwS
— John Meyer (@meyerNBA) November 6, 2022
The @Vikings defense breaking out all the cellys after picking off Kyler Murray #SKOL
📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/WhAVKnLjXF
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) October 30, 2022
The @Vikings really pulled out every celebration in the books here. 😂 pic.twitter.com/GTZhwA3yvT
— NFL (@NFL) October 17, 2022
Then again, the NFL may also have precedent as Jamaal Williams was fined $13,261 for a celebration against the Vikings in Week 3. Strangely, Aaron Rodgers wasn’t fined for the same celebration in a 2020 game.
Could Mattison have violated the Hingle McCringleberry rule where more than three pumps/thrusts/twerks draws a penalty? Who knows? Whatever the case, Mattison will have to pay up for his celebration.
