CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle did only two pelvic pumps.
And he still got flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct for his rendition of a “Key & Peele” comedy sketch.
He also might get fined by the league. Keegan-Michael Key was incensed, in a way only comedians can be, when he acknowledged the move on social media. “Rico. Man, you got robbed,” Key said. “You only did two pumps. I’m sorry, man. Now I’m going to have to write a new sketch.”
Dowdle’s celebration of a third-quarter touchdown on Sunday caused a bit of a stir over what’s allowed in the league rulebook. The language is vague to start with, reading: “Prolonged or excessive celebrations or demonstrations by an individual player or multiple players” are prohibited. It was Dowdle’s understanding that he was allowed two pumps.
Two, apparently, is where the “Key & Peele” show drew the line between acceptable and excessive. Hingle McCringleberry — Key’s character Dowdle referenced — is known for his “three-pump” touchdown celebration, which gets flagged for excessive celebration in the original skit.
The game official flagged Dowdle on Sunday for unsportsmanlike conduct. The 15-yard penalty was enforced on the extra-point attempt, which Carolina kicker Ryan Fitzgerald missed. Fitzgerald went on to make a game-winning kick for the Panthers, who escaped Lambeau Field with a 16-13 win. Perhaps it was excessive because six teammates participated in the celebration. Technically, that might have made it 12 pumps.
Tight end Tommy Tremble wondered whether the official interpreted it that way.
“He must have, man, because I was losing my mind thinking we didn’t do anything wrong,” Tremble said. “I guess we learned from that. We’ll let Rico just do the celebration.”
Dowdle was just happy his 19-yard run in the final minute helped set up the winning field goal to make up for his penalty.
“You’re supposed to get two pumps, right?” Dowdle said afterward. “That’s from my understanding. We [go over] stuff like this every weekend. I definitely think you get two pumps.”
