New York Jets wide receiver Allen Lazard was given a penalty for a finger gun celebration after a catch during Sunday's game against Denver.
It happened with under two minutes left in the third quarter with the Jets on offense as the Broncos led 7-6. With 1st and 10 on the Broncos 30-yard line, quarterback Aaron Rodgers threw a 12-yard pass to the right which was caught by Lazard on the ground in front of defender Riley Moss. As the official blew the whistle, Lazard sat up, spun the ball and "fired" double finger guns with his hands.
Allen Lazard got hit with a 15-yard penalty for a finger gun celebration pic.twitter.com/NEuJwxDBoU
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) September 29, 2024
The official closest to the catch threw the flag. Upon further discussion with the other referees, this official reenacted Lazard's finger gun salute to make it clear why he threw the flag. Lazard was given an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, pushing the Jets back 15 yards.
Football referees are throwing more flags on gun celebrations. That seems like the right thing to do, as they should not be promoting violence. Not off the field, at least.
The Jets finished the drive with a field goal to take a 9-7 lead. However, the Jets struggled to be consistent on the offensive side of the ball for most of the day and lost to the Broncos 10-9. Lazard finished the day with 5 catches for 58 yards. We'll be willing to bet he won't break out the "guns" again anytime soon.
Moonlighting as a blogger to pursue my interest and enjoyment of sports. Former high school and Division I athlete (now a "retired" family man) that loves watching and discussing all sports. Follow me on Twitter (@HoldoutSports) and like Holdout Sports on Facebook.
