In a stunning turn of events, the NFL was forced to back down and erase nearly $57,000 in fines levied against Cincinnati Bengals star Ja’Marr Chase and Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams following their successful appeals.
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Chase had two $14,926 fines wiped clean from Cincinnati’s Week 2 win over the Houston Texans, saving him $29,852. The league argued that Chase’s handshake with Tee Higgins was an obscene gesture. “On appeal, Mr. Chase…further contended that even if he committed the violation, his fine should be reduced because he received no warning that this was not allowed,” the league’s appeals office letter states.
The appeals letter, as revealed on X by NFL Insider Ian Rapoport, detailed Ja’Marr Chase’s arguments regarding the premature punishment by the league: “He [Chase] added that this is a new celebration with his teammate and that it is not offensive. Mr. Chase finally stated that the NFL is assuming the worst of him and his teammate without discussing with the NFLPA.”
The NFL took its infamous “No Fun League” to an absurd degree in Week 2, handing out a whopping 22 unsportsmanlike conduct fines to players for post-play handshakes and end zone antics that tallied up to $300,089 in a single weekend. That blitz saw guys like Tee Higgins (teammate of Ja’Marr Chase) and Amon-Ra St. Brown dinged for an unreal $59,704 each.
However, the league’s strict enforcement of its conduct policies ultimately came back to haunt them through the early part of the 2026 NFL season.
The celebration was an ode to Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s “People’s Elbow.” The league initially handed out four fines to Higgins and two to Chase, who both argued that the celebration was innocent and mere horseplay.
“It was something different for us, something new, something we was trying to be unique with,” he said. “And, you know, they just stopping the fun. So it is what it is.”
In a bizarre twist of events, the NFL erased two fines handed out to Lions standout Jameson Williams in Week 2 totaling $26,867 ($14,926 and $11,941) for alleged unsportsmanlike conduct. The league accused Williams of falsely implying that he was smoking drugs, but Williams argued “that m*******a is legal in some states if that was the gesture he was making.”
Appeals officer Derrick Brooks rescinded both of Williams’ fines, but warned the playmaker to try and keep future celebrations clean.
“Although I rescinded this fine, please make every effort to celebrate with your teammates in the best professional manner possible,” he wrote in his ruling.
The wave of overturned fines wasn’t a one-off occurrence, as NFLPA executive director JC Tretter jumped in after the league handed out a staggering 20 celebration-related fines to players in Weeks 2 and 3.
After its abrupt wave of celebration fines, the union pushed for a league-wide review of the penalties, as all 20 of the fines issued to players were appealed to establish a clear boundary between player celebrations and unsportsmanlike conduct.
“When something falls into a gray area, communication and education should come before punishment. We’re glad the league will seek to educate players before immediately defaulting to a fine,” Tretter asserted.
When it comes to celebrations that fall into a gray area, the NFL and NFLPA agreed that the league will make contact before issuing any punishment. As a result, both sides issued a joint memo that will allow the league to contact players and provide necessary guidance before taking disciplinary actions – a policy that was advocated by Ja’Marr Chase.
It all started when 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk was nailed with a fine for “imitating drinking a beverage,” a customary gesture among his teammates who call him “Juice.” After the league levied the fine, an outcry from fans forced the league to rescind Juszczyk’s penalty and take the stance that drinking motions are entirely acceptable and will not be penalized.
With Juszczyk, Williams, and Ja’Marr Chase getting their money back, the league’s aggressive wave of celebration fines was abruptly checked.
By forcing the league to reverse its decisions and accommodate the NFLPA, players established that pop-culture-themed celebrations are acceptable, and due process must be taken before a player is fined or penalized.