The Houston Texans are bracing for a critical Week 14 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs. However, Texans wide receiver Nico Collins had unfinished business from the team’s win over the Indianapolis Colts the week prior.
Unfortunately for Collins, the NFL made the final call, and the ruling was not in his favor.
Collins found himself part of a league-wide crackdown, which ensnared many of his peers in Week 13.
Nico Collins Gets Bad News Before Texans Game
GettyNico Collins #12 of the Houston Texans reacts during a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The NFL’s Football Operations portal revealed that Collins received a $14,491 fine for “unsportsmanlike conduct.” It was over what the league deemed a “violent gesture” following a reception for a first down in the fourth quarter.
Collins did what used to be his signature celebration: finger guns.
It was slight and delivered underhanded as he rose to a knee following the 29-yard reception. It was on a drive that ended with the Texans turning the ball over on downs.
“Last weekend was a big one for violent gesture fines around the #NFL – 5 players were fined for a violent gesture,” SportsTalk 790’s Adam Wexler reacted in a post on X following the league’s announcement of the Week 13 punishments on December 6.
The league made “unsportsmanlike conduct” a “point of emphasis” for this season.
Collins’ act falls under Section 3 (Unsportsmanlike Conduct), Article 1 (Prohibited Acts), Item (d) of the NFL rulebook.
It includes “Any violent gesture, which shall include, but not be limited to, a throat slash, simulating firing or brandishing a gun, or using the ‘nose wipe’ gesture, or an act that is sexually suggestive or offensive.”
“Those were up 133%,” NFL officiating rules analyst Walt Anderson said, per the Associated Press in August. “It’s just one of those areas that the league wants to work actively on. There are plenty of ways for players to be able to celebrate, and they come up with some very unique and often entertaining ways so we want them to focus on those and not the inappropriate areas.”
The in-game penalty is 15 yards. There were no other fines from the contest.
Nico Collins Gets Honest About Finger Gun Celebration
GettyNico Collins #12 of the Houston Texans reacts against the Seattle Seahawks.
Collins tied Baker Mayfield of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and DK Metcalf of the Pittsburgh Steelers for the highest fine of the bunch in Week 14.
“It is what it is. It’s they decision. But I feel like, man, you can’t be too aggressive with it with the thumbs, you know what I’m saying – pause,” Collins said with a smile in September in reaction to the league’s decision.
“You just gotta be smart with it. Be smart when you get the ball, not make the refs call anything. Know they gonna be looking and itching to throw they flag, itching to fine you, you know what I’m saying? So, I know my celebration kind of had little gun points. But I know them boys gonna be looking at me the whole time. So, I might just stand right there and come back to the ball.”
Collins then joked he would still do it, saying, “I gotta let them boys know, move the sticks.”
This marked the first time he has been fined this season. However, Collins was fined three times in 2024, including during the AFC Wild Card Playoffs for an “obscene gesture,” per Spotrac.
Collins had other incidents go unnoticed last season, too. The bigger concern is that Collins’ gesture could be called during the game and cost the Texans in a potentially high-leverage situation.
Texans Get Bad News as League Office Hands Down Costly Punishment