METAIRIE, La. — New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr has been fined for his Week 2 touchdown celebration that imitated Michael Jackson, a source told ESPN.
Carr snuck the ball in from the 1-yard line for a touchdown in the third quarter of the Saints’ 44-19 win against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday. He then did a dance move made famous by Jackson that involved grabbing at his crotch.
While the NFL relaxed some touchdown celebration rules in 2017, the current rulebook states a player can be flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct for “an act that is sexually suggestive or offensive.”
While the Week 2 fines haven’t been made public yet, a first-time offense for an unsportsmanlike conduct fine is $14,069. Carr was not flagged for the celebration.
Carr said that he chose the celebration because he promised his family that he would do a dance by Jackson if he scored a touchdown this season.
“People don’t know a lot of stuff about me. … Weddings or birthdays, I’m always dancing,” Carr said after the game. “One time I hit the Michael Jackson and [my brothers] were like, ‘Bro, you have to do that if you score.'”
Pro Football Talk first reported news of Carr’s fine.