The Baltimore Ravens put on a dominant performance during Week 3 of the 2021 preseason as they defeated the Washington Football Team by the final score of 37-3. Quarterback Tyler Huntley led the way for Baltimore has he threw four touchdowns, one of which went to wide receiver James Proche II.
On his touchdown, Proche made an incredible 20-yard catch where he skied over the defender, had his helmet ripped off, and still came down with the football. He got up and stared at the Washington defensive back before going to pick up his helmet. He was not penalized for taunting on the play, but one week later the NFL made sure to send a message to Proche, fining him for unsportsmanlike conduct for the celebration.
The NFL fined #Ravens WR James Proche $4,567 for unsportsmanlike conduct after his TD catch in last week’s preseason game against Washington. No flag was thrown on Proche. Teammate Tylan Wallace, who was flagged for his own TD celebration, wasn’t fined.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) September 4, 2021
The league has made it a point to crack down on taunting and unsportsmanlike conduct this season, but it feels like they are expecting players to act like robots. In reality, football is a game where emotion is extremely present, so asking players to tone down their excitement is a very unfair ask. There are certain actions that cross the line, but what Proche did was not nearly as disrespectful as some of the other actions we’ve seen from players before.
It will be an interesting year in the NFL if the league continues to crack down on “taunting” the way that it has so far. Proche should not have been penalized for his celebration, but it feels like even much less than what the receiver did will be called throughout the year.
