Santonio Holmes Fined $10K for Super Bowl Celebration

Santonio Holmes could have, in theory, cost the Pittsburgh Steelers a Super Bowl victory. After making an amazing catch against the Cardinals a few weeks ago, he imitated LeBron James in the celebratory aftermath.

He was not penalized (but probably could have been) and the Steelers ended up winning. The meaningless aftermath has been handed down from the NFL, and it will cost Holmes $10,000. (Update: LeBron calls the fine "disgusting.")

Within the past few days, Holmes received notification from the NFL that the league was fining him $10,000 for using the ball as a prop, a league source said Wednesday.

Though Holmes' violation did not draw a 15-yard penalty that could have been crucial for Arizona, the league admitted it was reviewing the Steelers wide receiver's transgression. And once it did, it found that he violated the rule for using the ball as a prop.

See, this story is beaten nearly dead; it's why no one's really chatting about Holmes. After all, the Steelers won, the Cardinals lost and there's nothing that will change that. (You hear that ref-haters? NOTHING.) But, yes, it's still annoying that the league deemed he violated a rule that clearly (right?) should have resulted in a penalty.

All of that is mainly to say that the league needs to re-evaluate how they handle touchdown celebrations. I understand the point of the current setup was to eliminate any "questionable" situations (goodwill on behalf of the player, yet a clear abuse of the rules, etc.) but if the referees in the biggest game of the season can whiff on that rule, is it really working out well? I think not.

Touchdown Celebrations

Name: "LeBron Tribute" | Date: Feb. 1, 2009
Holmes celebrated the Steelers' go-ahead touchdown in Super Bowl XLIII with a nod to NBA superstar LeBron James. He was fined $10,000 for the celebration - but the Steelers weren't penalized on the play.

James Borchuck, St. Petersburg Times/AP

Name: "Shoe Shine" | Date: Dec. 14, 2008
Redskins wide receiver Santana Moss is fined $10,000 for his touchdown celebration against the Bengals in which he shined his shoes with a towel.

Andy Lyons, Getty Images

Name: "Pregnant Patriot" | Date: Dec. 7, 2008
New England tight end Benjamin Watson was fined $10,000 for using the football to pantomime pregnancy during a celebration against the Seahawks. Watson was giving a shout-out to his expectant wife and the couple's yet-to-be born daughter.

Otto Greule Jr, Getty Images

Name: "Take Me to Jail" | Date: Nov. 16, 2008
After scoring against the Jaguars, Titans receiver Brandon Jones flipped the football to a referee and then dropped to his knees and put both hands behind his helmet - making it look like he was being arrested. The NFL fined Jones $15,000 for his arresting stunt.

Doug Benc, Getty Images

Name: "High Step" | Date: 1993-2006
One of the true innovators in NFL history, "Prime Time" Deion Sanders would continually hold the ball outstretched and high-step into the end zone whenever he had the opportunity.

Otto Greule Jr, Getty Images

Name: "The Dirty Bird" | Date: 1996-97
Jamal Anderson made this dance popular at Falcons games. He was well-known for his "Dirty Bird" touchdown celebration, in which he flapped his arms like wings and gyrated in the crowd's direction.

Vincent Muzik, Time Life Pictures / Getty Images

Name: "Love Boat" | Date: October 30, 2005
Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith wasn't afraid to rub a team disgrace in the faces of the Minnesota Vikings. Smith rowed an imaginary boat to mock the "Love Boat" scandal, which centered around an alleged sex party on Lake Minnetonka with seventeen key members of the Vikings.

Craig Jones, Getty Images

Name: "The Worm" | Date: 2004
Former Chiefs receiver Johnnie Morton perfected "The Worm" during his time in Kansas City. Though the move is difficult, Morton always looked smooth doing it.

Charlie Riedel, AP

Name: "The Ray Lewis" | Date: 2004
After Terrell Owens and Ray Lewis exchanged verbal jabs at each other, Owens would later mock Lewis after catching a touchdown pass with the same dance that Lewis popularized during his career.

Joe Robbins, Getty Images

Name: "The Ickey Shuffle" | Date: 1988-1991
This dance was a signature move for running back Ickey Woods. It involved three hops to the left, three to the right, three hops back, a spike of the ball, a finger twirl and a "Woo! Woo!"

Getty Images

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)

2-18-2009 @ 9:27PM

waterlillies10 said...

a little late dont you think, what a jerk

2-20-2009 @ 9:16AM

jaunvivamexico said...

LET ME SEE THE SUPER BOWL 35 SECONDS LEFT AND YOU JUST CAUGHT THE WINNING TOUCH DOWN. THEY SHOULD FINE THE A HOLE WHO FINED HIM 20,000. PEOPLE GOT TO GET A LIFE.GAME OVER STEELERS WIN.ALL CRY BABIES, PLEASE LET IT GO ITS OVER. DONT BE A JAG OFF!

2-20-2009 @ 9:18PM

archer6831 said...

First let me say that I was pulling for the Steelers. But, why are they making such a big deal out of this when Harrison should have been thrown out of the game and fined for just flat out pounding on a guy and all they did was give the Steelers a 15 yd penalty. Doent really matter now they didnt. I'm still glad the Steelers won.

2-18-2009 @ 10:26PM

palmz24 said...

Why should he be fined for something the NFL endorses in one of their commercials. You know the commercial where LeBron joins the Browns. The No Fun League strikes again!

2-19-2009 @ 2:49AM

Steel Wheel said...

Where are all the haters? This is a target rich environment for all the folks from Baltimore, Dallas, Cleveland and the like to shoot some venom...Could it be that they have finally lost their momentum? Shocking

2-19-2009 @ 9:59AM

rugbymom75 said...

In the same token, Warner should have been penalized and fined for removing his helmet on the field of play. Last time I checked that was an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and would have cost his team 15 yds. It would have been a wash.

2-19-2009 @ 10:43AM

raaspire said...

THE NFL SUCKS IF IT WAS A BAD HIT THAT WAS MISSED I COULD UNDERSTAND. DID THEY EVER THINK OF FINING THE REFS? THEY HAVE NOTHING BETTER TO DO THAN FIND THINGS TO MAKE THEM LOOK LIKE TOTAL A..HOLES. ITS BEEN SAID BEFORE THE "NO FUN LEAGUE"

2-19-2009 @ 11:42AM

Brenda said...

Well, a fine and what should have been a penalty.....I truly felt sorry for the Cards,having to play against the Steelers and the refs, also. They did not have a chance!!!!! I was appalled watching that game and can only imagine what the Card's fans were feeling!
Have a great day,
Brenda
PS: and yes, Steel Wheel, this Cowboys fanatic fan is "shooting her truthful venom" LOL

2-20-2009 @ 9:35AM

BRENDA ITS CALLED FOOT BALL. I KNOW YOU FOKE IN DALLAS DONT UNDER STAND WHAT THAT MEANS BUT GET A LIFE.THE ONLY PEOPLE WITH TALENT WHO WANT TO PLAY FOR THE CRYBABIES ARE F ING HEAD CASES START WITH JERRY A HOLE JONES, PAC MAN, T O JUST A FEW. THE LATEST WORD IS THAT RAY BANG BANG LEWIS THE KID KILLER IS COMING TO TOWN.BRENDA WHAT YEAR DID THE CRYBABIES LAST WIN A PLAYOFF GAME ?STEELERS WIN SO ZIP THE PIE HOLE.

2-19-2009 @ 12:24PM

brenda how right you are the cardinals had to play the stealers and the refs, just like the seahawks did 3 years ago, iam satisfied other people notice this travesty. keep sending in your complaints.

2-20-2009 @ 7:11AM

wab0224 said...

would u people quit both birds lost talk cheep all this whining gets u nowhere

2-20-2009 @ 8:31PM

hotrod4fox1 said...

Like Rugbymom75 said, Warner removed his helmet on the playing field, that ALSO is a 15 yard penalty that wasn't called...SO WERE EVEN! Steelers were the better team that day. Deal with it or take some drugs to ease your pain so you can ignore real things in life that effect us! I agree that the refs should be fined also!

2-19-2009 @ 3:37PM

A. J. said...

Ahhh, yes. It's such a conspiracy I can't believe my Steelers don't win every year. I mean considering the guys on that team they must need help from the refs in order to win. Such a lack of talent. Do I really need to point out that waterlillies10 is a moron. Seriously kid, are you 10 years old? GO STEELERS!!! If these retards are right, we'll just cheat our way to number seven with the help of the refs of course. Hell, why should they even have to compete. Just tell everyone we won Superbowl XLIV and give us the trophy.

3-06-2009 @ 2:52PM

salogojr said...

Steelers can wipe my "u know wat" with that terrible towel.There's steroid problems in baseball while in the NFL it's the REFEREES.The next time Pittsburg's in the superbought,just dont use any refs.Hell, when they win an AFC championship game,just cancel the following game.

2-19-2009 @ 9:49PM

byron said...

what i want to know is why harrison wasnt fined

2-19-2009 @ 9:56PM

gcn said...

Wow, I didn't think anybody could be as stupid as waterlillies10, but salogojr is right up there. I feel kinda sorry for the both of you morons.

2-19-2009 @ 10:14PM

Rob said...

well since we are on the subject.. can a player.. AZ'S FITZGERALD.go out bounds several yards and then return to the playing field and make a tackle. on the INT return to end second half???STEELEER HATERS GET OVER IT,,the refs missed calls on both sides. thats football..GET OVER IT. The Steelers won because they played better when it counted..

2-20-2009 @ 3:21AM

Collin said...

They also missed the punch a Cardinals player threw on one of the first plays of the second quarter. And that the ball hit the ground on the first Fitzgerald touchdown. Not to mention that Kurt Warner took his helmet off on the playing field on the final fumble. That should have been 15 yards as well. Calls went both ways.