'Always Sunny' Star Offers to Pay Eagles Rookie's Fine for Super Bowl Sack Celebration

The gang gives back.
Philadelphia Eagles' Jalyx Hunt celebrates after sacking Patrick Mahomes in the Super Bowl on Feb. 9, 2025.
Philadelphia Eagles' Jalyx Hunt celebrates after sacking Patrick Mahomes in the Super Bowl on Feb. 9, 2025. / NFL / Twitter / Screenshot
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On Saturday, it was reported that the NFL fined Philadelphia Eagles rookie outside linebacker Jalyx Hunt $5,690 for his celebration after sacking Patrick Mahomes in Super Bowl LIX, per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.

After making the tackle, Hunt mimed as though he were shooting a bow and arrow, which the NFL determined to be a "violent gesture" and thus unsportsmanlike conduct.

Now, however, one very huge Eagles fan has offered to pay the fine for Hunt, who made a $795,000 rookie base salary in 2024.

Philadelphia native Rob McElhenney, co-star, co-creator, and co-writer of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, as well as co-owner of Wrexham A.F.C., posted on social media that he will cover the cost of the demerit on Hunt's behalf. "Worth every penny," McElhenney said.

McElhenney and his co-stars have become synonymous with Philadelphia over the years thanks to their hit comedy, which also features many references to the Eagles and the city's sports teams. The actor and his wife, 'Always Sunny' co-star and fellow actress Kaitlin Olson were in New Orleans last week ahead of the big Super Bowl win.

But not long after McElhenney went public with his offer, Hunt weighed in on the sanction himself, saying he'll pay the fine if others donate to a group raising funds for 40 high school students to visit colleges.

So McElhenney quickly put his money where his mouth was and donated the full $5,690 to Hunt's chosen cause. "Done," he replied to the OLB, with receipts. "#FlyEaglesFly."

Hunt then answered, "Man of your word! This is amazing, thank you," with the "prayer hands" emoji.

As of 1:45 p.m. ET on Sunday, the fundraising page was flooded with donations from other Eagles fans, who made clear in the description of their payment that Hunt had sent them.

Really awesome stuff—honestly, if this is the outcome, the celebration and the fine were more than worth it.

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Brigid Kennedy
BRIGID KENNEDY

Brigid Kennedy is a contributor to the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Before joining SI in November 2024, she covered political news, sporting news and culture at TheWeek.com before moving to Livingetc, an interior design magazine. She is a graduate of Syracuse University, dual majoring in television, radio and film (from the Newhouse School of Public Communications) and marketing managment (from the Whitman School of Management). Offline, she enjoys going to the movies, reading and watching the Steelers.