Washington Commanders running back Jeremy McNichols first entered the NFL in 2017. Since his rookie season, McNichols has spent time on 10 different teams, including two stints with the Tennessee Titans. Despite appearing in three games for the San Francisco 49ers last season, McNichols hadn’t carried the football in an NFL game since 2021.
That all changed in Washington’s 42-14 win over the Arizona Cardinals last week. With Austin Ekeler out with an injury, McNichols, who made the 53-man roster as the team’s No. 3 running back, carried the ball eight times for 68 yards and two touchdowns. He played a pivotal role in Washington’s win.
However, there was one blemish on McNichols’ game last week. He was penalized 15 yards after one of his touchdowns for the “bow and arrow celebration.”
The NFL’s alleged reasoning for this is that it “mimics a violent act.”
Yeah, seriously.
As it turns out, McNichols’s punishment wasn’t over, as the NFL fined him $6,250.
Commanders RB Jeremy McNichols was fined $6,250 for Unsportsmanlike Conduct (violent gesture) in the fourth quarter of Washington’s win at Arizona.
— Ben Standig (@BenStandig) October 5, 2024
There is some confusion here. Pat McAfee said last week that his NFL source said the bow and arrow celebration was “good to go.”
There has been an adjustment..
Our NFL source(s) have told us that the bow and arrow celebration is GOOD TO GO #PMSLive https://t.co/UAUClyayZj pic.twitter.com/qJMRgxhXgG
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) October 3, 2024
The NFL fined Bengals wide receiver Andre Iosivas for the same celebration in Week 2 and later rescinded the fine. So, why fine McNichols in the first place?
The No Fun League strikes again.