The NFL on Tuesday added more fodder for the "No Fun League" jokes that have plagued it for years.
In its continued effort to turn touchdowns into more somber and less celebratory affairs, the NFL will begin penalizing players who dunk the football over the field-goal crossbar to celebrate touchdowns this season.
The league's head of officials Dean Blandino broke the news to radio host Dan Patrick on Tuesday.
NFL Head of Officials Dean Blandino told @dpshow that dunking the ball over the goal posts will be a penalty next season.— Paul Pabst (@PaulPabst) March 25, 2014
The NFL points out that this is not a new rule, necessarily, because using the football as a celebration prop has technically been a penalty since 2006. Yet the rule has never been applied to post-touchdown dunking (perhaps because dunking is awesome). The practice became a hit with fans and players alike over the past few seasons.
New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham is one of the players credited with popularizing the bit of sports cross-pollination. Here he is in action, via sports-GIF master C.J. Fogler:
While recent rule changes designed to increase player safety in the game of football make logical sense, changes like this one are harder for fans and media to understand. Aside from one time when Graham caused a game delay by bending a goal post with an emphatic dunk, it's hard to frame the act as a threat to the quality or pace of play on the field.
Indeed, the NFL's decision instantly proved to be an unpopular one on Twitter, as #NoFunLeague -- a snarky edit of the league's acronym -- quickly became a worldwide trending topic.
Recent NFL retiree and dunker extraordinaire Tony Gonzalez was baffled by the decision.
The NFL says no more dunking over the goalpost. This one I don't understand. Looks like I got out just in time.
— Tony Gonzalez (@TonyGonzalez88) March 25, 2014
Bleacher Report's Michael Felder suggested a different new rule.
The NFL should penalize all players not athletic enough to dunk over the goalpost. That's the real crime of anyone in the league.
— Michael Felder (@InTheBleachers) March 25, 2014
And CBS's Armen Keteyian added some much-needed context to the decision.
Concussions. Bullying. Car crash injuries. And NFL legislates a goal post dunk out of the game. Good god. Can anything seem less important?
— Armen Keteyian (@ArmenKeteyian) March 25, 2014
As for Graham, this was his response.
“@thomasmorstead: “@ProFootballTalk: League considers banning the goal post dunk http://t.co/eMo98lHUHc” #TheJimmyGrahamRule” NOOOO!
— Jimmy Graham (@TheJimmyGraham) March 22, 2014
Farewell, beautiful endzone dunk. We hardly knew ye.
BONUS: 50 Stunning Sports Photos From 2013
[nggallery id=14035]