Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown says his pelvic thrust dance was 'one more pump' from getting flagged
If you've ever wondered how closely NFL referees are watching players when they celebrate after a touchdown, we now know the answer: very, very closely.
This new information comes from Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, who recently discussed it with his brother (Chicago Bears wide receiver Equanimeous) on "The St. Brown Brothers Podcast." During Week 1, Amon-Ra St. Brown did a touchdown celebration that was essentially a string of pelvic thrusts, a dance he says he got from fellow Lions receiver Marvin Jones Jr.
#EasyToCelebrate the first of the season @budlight #DETvsKC | 🎥 NBC pic.twitter.com/k9qOr4V4mx
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) September 8, 2023
St. Brown said on the podcast that he decided to do the dance as his touchdown celebration after Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs suggested it earlier in the week. Gibbs even agreed to take care of the fine if St. Brown got flagged. St. Brown didn't get flagged, but he found out just how close he came.
"I hit it, boom, no flag. I get to the sideline, sit down, celebrate, boom. And then my receiver coach [Antwaan Randle-El] is like, 'Hey Saint, one more pump and they said were gonna throw the flag.' I'm like, 'It's done now, I got it off. Ain't no more pumps.' Apparently the ref told our head coach that if he does one more pump, then we'll throw the flag, and then he told our receiver coach and he told me."
If some of this sounds familiar, it's another case of life imitating art. Everyone's favorite made up football player Hingle McCringleberry (yes, that Hingle McCringleberry) has gotten flagged several times for doing too many pelvic thrusts during his touchdown celebration in a famous "Key & Peele" sketch.
Life might imitate art, but it doesn't replicate it. While Hingle McCringleberry was flagged for doing more than two pumps on his pelvic thrust, it appears that St. Brown did four. Somehow the real life NFL has looser rules on pelvic thrust celebrations than the made up NFL in "Key & Peele." Who would have guessed?
