Salvation Army kettle leap costs Bengals’ Brown

• Ben Baby, ESPN Staff WriterDec 14, 2024, 05:44 PM ET

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  Ben Baby covers the Cincinnati Bengals for ESPN. He joined the company in July 2019. Prior to ESPN, he worked for various newspapers in Texas, most recently at The Dallas Morning News where he covered college sports. He provides daily coverage of the Bengals for ESPN.com, while making appearances on SportsCenter, ESPN’s NFL shows and ESPN Radio programs. A native of Grapevine, Texas, he graduated from the University of North Texas with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. He is an adjunct journalism professor at Southern Methodist University and a member of the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA).

CINCINNATI — Chase Brown‘s recent touchdown celebration came with a price tag.

The NFL fined the Bengals running back $5,481 for jumping into the famed Salvation Army kettle at AT&T Stadium following a touchdown reception in Cincinnati’s 27-20 win over the Dallas Cowboys on Monday night.

Growing up, Brown said he saw other players such as Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott hop into the kettle after finding the end zone during the holiday season. However, Brown said he did not know that it could cost him. When informed after the game that the celebration could warrant a fine, his eyes widened and his smile dropped. For a moment, anyways.

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“I don’t have enough money to pay that s—,” he said with a laugh.

Players are not allowed to use props in touchdown celebrations. In 2023, NBC Sports noted that the NFL has been inconsistent in its punitive actions for players using the Salvation Army’s red kettle as part of a touchdown celebration. Some are fined but not penalized. Others are ignored altogether.

Brown was not called for a penalty following his 19-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter of the game. Initially, officials ruled that he stepped out of bounds. But after a video review, he was deemed to have toed the sideline until he crossed the end zone and then leaped into the kettle. It was inside the kettle, he said, that he realized the play might not stand.

Cincinnati had two other fines in that contest. Linebacker Germaine Pratt was docked $16,883 for a hip-drop tackle. Safety Geno Stone was fined $22,511 for unnecessary use of the helmet. Both actions were committed against Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle. Neither was penalized during the game.

Safety Donovan Wilson was the only Cowboys player fined in the game. He owes $16,883 for a hip-drop tackle against Bengals tight end Tanner Hudson.

No fine was given for a facemask against Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow that also wasn’t penalized.

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