Denver Broncos right guard Quinn Meinerz just got slapped with a $14,926 fine from the NFL for a celebratory dice roll. Yeah, you read that right. Meinerz celebrated Jaylen Waddle’s 2-point conversion on Sunday by pantomiming a dice roll with his teammate, and the league apparently has a huge problem with players having a little fun.
Yahtzee or Not, The NFL’s Flip-Flop Is Wild
Meinerz himself couldn’t believe it. “I got fined,” he told Mike Klis of 9News. “We were playing Yahtzee. They didn’t like we were playing Yahtzee.” This is where it gets absolutely ridiculous. Back in 2017, the NFL actually announced that dice rolls were totally fine. A spokesperson at the time even said the league “isn’t in a place to determine” if players were referring to Yahtzee or backgammon. So, what changed? Did the league suddenly become Yahtzee experts? It seems super likely Jaylen Waddle got hit with the same fine, which just makes you scratch your head even more at the sheer inconsistency.
Meinerz Isn’t Backing Down And You Can’t Blame Him
Of course, Meinerz isn’t taking this sitting down. He’s already said he will appeal the fine. And honestly, good for him. He’s just out there trying to enjoy the game. After the Broncos’ second 2-point conversion, Meinerz even lifted Pat Bryant II off the ground in another celebration, which, for some reason, didn’t trigger a fine. Meinerz summed it up perfectly himself: “It’s fun to be back to who I am and I can breathe. I can see, I’m feeling good about life and where things are at. So when I have the opportunity to use more of that energy to go celebrate with my teammates, why not? It’s hard to score, have fun with it.” He’s absolutely right. It is hard to score in the NFL, and players should be allowed to express some joy without the league hitting their wallets for a ridiculous amount.
This whole situation is a perfect example of the league getting in its own way. Players like Meinerz just want to have some fun and celebrate with their teammates, but the NFL keeps moving the goalposts on what’s allowed. Hopefully, Meinerz wins his appeal, and maybe, just maybe, the league can figure out its own rulebook.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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