Before I begin, allow me to disclose the following: I am a New York Giants fan and consequently, I loathe the Dallas Cowboys. However, what took place yesterday during the Dallas-Tennessee game was ridiculous…even to a Cowboy hater. With 4:36 remaining in regulation, Jason Witten hauled in a Tony Romo pass for an 18-yard touchdown. Despite their game-long struggles, Dallas had tied the game at 27. Certainly it was an emotional spot, one worthy of celebration. Witten handed the ball to lineman Marc Colombo, who spiked it, then chest-bumped Witten in a clearly spontaneous burst of joy. Colombo, being a large and somewhat uncoordinated/goofy man, fell to the ground following the chest-bump. Referees then flagged him for excessive celebration because he “went to the ground” to celebrate. Here, directly from the NFL rulebook, are the passages which cover such penalties:
Section 3, Article 1, subsections c, d,