Eagles WR A.J. Brown says NFL fined him $10k for 'two little finger points'
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown was fined $10,000 by the NFL for taunting two Pittsburgh Steelers defensive backs in Sunday's Week 8 game, he said Saturday on Twitter.
My two little finger points the other day cost me 5k a piece. I will keep my hands, feet, and other objects to myself from now on lol 😭😭😭
— AJ Brown (@1kalwaysopen_) November 5, 2022
“My two little finger points the other day cost me 5k a piece,” he wrote.
The 25-year-old pointed at Steelers cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon and safety Minkah Fitzpatrick after scoring a second-quarter touchdown during the Eagles' 35-13 win.
That was his third touchdown of the game, with the first coming toward the end the first quarter when Brown snagged a ball that looked like it could have been intercepted. He followed that up with another one early in the second quarter, again at the expense of both Witherspoon and Fitzpatrick.
It was a massive game for Brown, who finished with six catches on 10 targets for 156 yards and the three touchdowns.
According to NBC Sports Philadelphia's John Clark, Brown is the first Eagles player in 53 years with 3 touchdowns of 25 yards or more in a game.
NFL rules and regulations
The performance seems to be the gift that just keeps giving to Brown, who also joked on Twitter that it was the cause of a “random” NFL drug test the next morning.
“I would have a drug test this morning huh,” he wrote, “Rogerrrrr this is not random.”
While the NFL does have somewhat of a track record for their random drug tests landing after stellar performances, the league is also no stranger to doling out fines for celebrations.
This is only Brown's third career fine. The previous two came in 2020 with the Titans for excessive celebrations, totaling $19,000.
Earlier this season, Jamaal Williams had to pay a $13,315.25 fine after the Detroit Lions running back was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct following a passionate touchdown celebration in Week 3, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.
Williams had scored his second touchdown of the day and thrusted his hips three times, which prompted the flag from the officials.
DON'T DO EM LIKE THAT JAMAAL LOL pic.twitter.com/iLkKjHlKd1
— Isaac (@WorldofIsaac) September 25, 2022
If that dollar amount sounds large, it's actually only slightly more than the collectively bargained fine amount for the first offense of unsportsmanlike conduct that Brown likely incurred.
Plus, the NFL says the fines collected do not go to them, but are donated through the NFL Foundation to programs the NFL and NFLPA select.
So, while Brown says he’ll be keeping his “hands, feet, and other objects” to himself while he plays for the 8-0 Eagles, he can rest assured knowing that his celebrations will benefit a greater good.