NFL, NFLPA clarify celebration rules, make drinking gesture no longer a violation

The NFL and NFL Players Association released a joint statement Wednesday drawing a clearer line between legal and illegal celebrations — and in doing so made the act of mimicking a drink no longer a violation.

Among the key points, as relayed across the league's wires, is that celebrations depicting drinking a beverage will not be treated as violations and will not result in discipline, an example of the union and the league working together to resolve a point of contention that has flared repeatedly this season.

For the gestures that still carry consequences, the statement lists behavior depicting violence — including guns, weapons or gang signs — as conduct that can draw a 15-yard penalty, a fine, or both. The clarification gives players a defined set of what remains punishable rather than leaving it to interpretation in the moment.

One new point is when a celebration falls into a gray area, "the league will contact the player and provide direction before imposing discipline" — a warning system designed to instruct rather than immediately penalize.

The clarification lands the same day the NFL rescinded Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson's fine for a shotgunning-beer celebration and after the league previously voided a juice-box celebration fine, signaling the joint statement is meant to settle a running dispute over how the league polices on-field personality.