The Denver Broncos, and more specifically First Team All-Pro Quinn Meinerz, got bad news from the NFL, and the veteran starting right guard is taking action.
Meinerz told 9News’ Mike Klis that he received a fine for “playing Yahtzee” in a celebration during the Broncos’ win over the Los Angeles Rams in Week 3, saying, “They didn’t like we were playing Yahtzee.”
According to Klis on October 1, Meinerz received a $14,926 fine for an “illegal celebration.”
“Ridiculously harsh given all the other outlandish celebrations that are approved,” Klis wrote, noting that Meinerz “will appeal.”
NFL Alters Stance With Fine on Broncos’ Quinn Meinerz
Klis shared a clip of the third-quarter call, which came as a result of actions Meinerz took as he celebrated with teammate Jaylen Waddle. After doing Waddle’s signature penguin waddle, Meinerz did the gesture in question.
Also notable, it does not sound as though the NFL has fined Waddle.
Waddle was doing the same action as Meinerz did (after the latter imitated the former’s signature move).
The NFL has cracked down on it frames as lewd and vulgar celebrations. They fined Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins of the Cincinnati Bengals multiple times over Week 2 acts. Kyle Juszczyk of the Broncos’ Week 4 opponent, the San Francisco 49ers, also drew a fine in Week 2.
Meinerz’s fine in particular seems to have been swept up in the added emphasis.
The NFL previously took a very different stance on the subject of dice rolls as celebrations in the recent past.
“In 2017, the NFL announced that it had no problem with celebratory dice rolls,” Pro Football Talk’s Charean Williams wrote on October 2. “A spokesperson at the time said the league ‘isn’t in a place to determine’ whether players were referring to Yahtzee or backgammon.”
This, like Juszczyk’s fine, highlights that the NFL is aligned with alcohol and betting companies.
“Do as we say, not as we profit from,” Pro Football Talk posted on X on October 2, adding a reaction to its reporting.
Quinn Meinerz Still Dealing With Fallout From Week 3
This also comes on the heels of Meinerz receiving a drug test from the NFL following the Rams game. A clip of the Broncos star dispatching Aaron Donald during a play went viral on social media.
Broncos head coach Sean Payton said the footage did not do the same numbers in the building.
“I think there’s enough social media clips of it. And look, there’s a lot of respect for him [Donald],” Payton told reporters on October 2. “We’ve all seen those clips of great defensive linemen or great offensive linemen. And if they get leveraged the right way, you’ve seen Reggie White lift a tackle in the air. You’ve seen–and when you play this game long enough, you’re probably going to be on both ends of that.
“That’s why they’re the elite, Pro Bowl, All-Pro players at their level, and you don’t get surprised when you see it.”
Notably, Donald is out this week. He suffered a back injury sometime between the start of the Rams’ loss to the Broncos and their first practice. It is unclear if he incurred the injury on the pancake from Meinerz.
NFL Delivers ‘Ridiculously Harsh’ Punishment to Denver Broncos Player