Jim Caldwell didn’t like Golden Tate’s flip into the end zone because he hates fun

It turns out Jim Caldwell may be another agent of the No Fun League. The Lions head coach didn’t enjoy the butt-first flip that sealed Detroit’s overtime win over the Vikings on Sunday.

“I certainly would rather have him do something else,” said Caldwell. “Like cross it the normal way with the ball tucked underneath your arm, nice and tight.”

On the first drive in overtime in Minneapolis, Tate corralled a third-and-8 pass from Matthew Stafford, shook off a tackle from Harrison Smith, then turned and ran to the end zone. As he breached the plane, he flipped into the air — meeting safety Andrew Sendejo’s face with his rear end before crashing to the ground.

Replays showed Tate had crossed the goal line before making contact with Sendejo, making Caldwell’s concern about ball protection a moot point.

The image was an indelible one of triumph for a Detroit team rising from the ashes of a 1-3 start. Tate’s flip didn’t just signal the Lions’ revival, it also sent a signal the NFC North was wide open for the taking. After a 5-0 start, Sunday’s defeat dropped the Vikings to their third straight loss.

It was also notable because it was deemed perfectly legal. Officials have cracked down on taunting and excessive celebration calls this fall under the guise of raising the bar for better sportsmanship. If Tate had flipped into the end zone uncontested he almost certainly would have earned a flag, but since Sendejo was closing fast, the line judge allowed it.

Besides — with the game over, a 15-yard penalty would have had zero effect on the outcome.

But it wasn’t a potential flag that peeved Caldwell. The coach would simply prefer his wide receiver protect the ball, but Tate’s been in the league long enough to know what he’s doing. At the very least, the Detroit coach understood what he was getting into with the seventh-year veteran.

“Golden is Golden,” Caldwell continued. “He’s going to have a little flair. But we’ll be able to make an example of that because if that ball, obviously, gets knocked out, then we’re all singing a little different tune.”

That’s way less fun than flipping, butt-first dives, but it doesn’t seem like Tate will get too chewed out for having a little fun with his game-winning touchdown.