Doing a throat slash gesture as a celebration is against the rules and has been for a long time, so it’s an easy 15-yard penalty that players should be able to avoid. Oakland Raiders wide receiver Michael Crabtree wasn’t able to avoid the penalty Sunday, even though he didn’t even do one.
Michael Crabtree touched his shoulder and was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct
Michael Crabtree is one unsportsmanlike conduct penalty from an automatic ejection after getting penalized for doing nothing wrong.
Crabtree celebrated a 2-yard touchdown pass against the Jacksonville Jaguars just before halftime by tossing the ball. Along the way, his hand was close to his throat. Evidently that was close enough for officials to assess an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
It was an inconsequential penalty with so little time in the half. The Jaguars received the kickoff and kneeled out the clock; however, Crabtree now runs the risk of being automatically ejected if he picks up a second unsportsmanlike conduct penalty in the second half.
Apparently, he’s at risk of picking up that second penalty even if he’s playing within the rules.
Update: Crabtree picked up a penalty for a throat slash in the team’s Week 1 win over the New Orleans Saints. Raiders coach Jack Del Rio said it was actually Crabtree’s impression of Kenny Powers celebrating getting his pitch back in HBO’s Eastbound and Down.
“I’ve actually showed that clip with our guys, about getting our pitch back and having the concentration,” Del Rio told ESPN. “And that’s what he was gesturing. It wasn’t a throat slash. So, take a shot of that [scene], all right, and see what he did after the play and you’ll see that’s what he was doing.”
It looks like it could’ve been the same celebration that got Crabtree in trouble again in Week 7.
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