Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Darnell Washington has emerged as a player to keep an eye on this season. However, he attracted attention for both right and wrong reasons in the New Orleans Saints game. The TE now has to pay his penance for the latter case.
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“The NFL fined Steelers TE Darnell Washington $14,926 for unsportsmanlike conduct (illegal celebrations and vulgar acts) — showing off the size of his footballs after a touchdown last week in Paris,” reported Tom Pelissero on X.
In the second quarter, Washington caught a 4-yard touchdown pass from QB Aaron Rodgers, and celebrated the move in a way that can easily be interpreted as sexually offensive.
Touchdown celebrations have been a topic of discussion this season. Per the NFL rulebook, actions that depict violent gestures like throat slashing, brandishing or firing guns, the “nose wipe” gesture, and sexually suggestive or offensive gestures all incur a penalty. Washington’s celebration falls in the last category.
Earlier this season, rules surrounding ‘drinking’ gestures were amended and are no longer a category that immediately warrant a penalty. San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk was fined for what the league interpreted as a gesture mimicking chugging a beer. But the veteran fullback, warmly known by fans as ‘Juice,’ claimed that he was pretending to drink out of a juice pack.
The NFLPA and the NFL clarified things in a joint statement. While they no longer will view imitations of drinking a beverage as a violation, they identified a “gray area,” stating that players will be contacted.
There was also the case of Denver Broncos’ star Quinn Meinerz getting fined for miming rolling a die after Jaylen Waddle made a two-point conversion. Meinerz claimed he and Waddle were only pretending to play Yahtzee.
As long as the Steelers tight end steers clear of dangerous plays and major violations, a bit of celebration should not be a major concern for Pittsburgh. But with the family-centric audience watching from home and in the stadium, perhaps he should keep a check on channeling that happiness in a better way.
Darnell Washington on pace for career-high numbers
Darnell Washington is technically TE2 in the chart, behind Pat Friermuth. But that doesn’t mean he isn’t making an impact. Apart from that TD-grab in the Saints showdown, Washington is currently on pace to set career highs across the board, including catches, receiving yards, and touchdowns.
The tight end has recorded 16 receptions for 160 yards in seven games and three touchdowns this season. The highest he has gone in his career is 364 receiving yards on 31 catches and one touchdown. Further down the season, Darnell Washington can perhaps set a new career high.
Among Steelers players, only Pat Freiermuth has more touchdowns than Washington.
Even though he will now be paying a fine for his touchdown grab against the Saints, it stands as his finest receiving moment in the NFL so far. And Steelers offensive coordinator Brian Angelichio has been truly impressed with his contributions so far.
“Keeping his feet in was impressive, just his ability to sense the sideline and the concentration to go up and secure the catch”, he said. “Obviously the size, Darnell is a tough cover. That’s something we’ve been doing all through training camp and something that I know Aaron [Rodgers] feels confident with. If he has a one-on-one out there, let the big boy go get it”.
Saints cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry was no match for Washington, who was much bigger compared to his less than 200-pound frame. In that one-on-one, Washington fell on McKinstry’s arm after he made the grab.
Entering the Cleveland Browns matchup, there might be more fireworks to expect from Darnell Washington. However, for now, he has to part with the fine money to settle his record.