NFL to penalize players for dunking on field-goal posts starting next season

Jimmy Graham is going to have to develop a new celebration move. (John W. McDonough/SI) It may be a good thing that Tony Gonzalez is retiring from the NFL or

Jimmy Graham is going to have to develop a new celebration move. (John W. McDonough/SI)

It may be a good thing that Tony Gonzalez is retiring from the NFL or else he would be receiving a penalty after every touchdown. The NFL seems to be cracking down on anything remotely fun for the players these days, and the latest move was announced Tuesday: the league will no longer allow players to dunk the football over the field-goal post as part of their touchdown celebration.

Time for Jimmy Graham and others to start working on adding some flash to their layups.

The NFL had previously banned players from using the football as a prop during celebrations, so disallowing dunks from taking place is just a further adaptation of the rule.

NFL head of officiating Dean Blandino informed the Dan Patrick Show of the new rule that will result in a penalty.

Just in. The NFL will not allow dunking the ball over the goal post next season. It will be a penalty. Cannot use the ball as a prop.

— Paul Pabst (@PaulPabst) March 25, 2014

While it seems like an absurd rule, Graham did nearly pull down the uprights when the New Orleans Saints were playing the Atlanta Falcons last season, causing a delay in the game as the field crew came out with a level to get the field-goal post back in the proper position.