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NFL Star Fined $30K for TD Celebration

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Michael Thomas’ touchdown celebration last week against the Rams cost him more than the two flip phones he purchased from a liquor store before the game.

It also cost the Saints receiver $30,000 after the league fined him for both using the phone as a prop and for having a mobile device in the bench area.

Many younger fans — or even Fox broadcasters Joe Buck and Troy Aikman — may not have understood Thomas’ celebration, but the receiver was paying homage to former Saints receiver Joe Horn, who did the same celebration in 2003.

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Before Thomas admitted the phones, which were placed under each goal post, were purchased at a liquor store, he joked that Horn might have left them behind.

“Umm, I think someone … I think Joe Horn left it,” Thomas said after the game.

Thomas then said his celebration was a tribute to Horn and it was also done to get the crowd hyped up as the Saints were on their way to handing the Rams their first loss.

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“I paid a tribute to him, tried to get the crowd going a little bit more, set the tone, have fun out there, giving people a show,” Thomas said. “You gotta have fun. All these guys just catching touchdowns and celebrating with each other, having fun, getting the crowd involved. I felt like I had an opportunity to make it happen, put the game away and make a call.”

Horn didn’t know about the celebration beforehand and isn’t particularly close to Thomas. But the former Pro Bowler is now a fan of the young receiver and said he ordered Thomas’ No. 13 jersey.

Thomas finished the game with 12 receptions and a career-high of 211 receiving yards. He ranks in the top five in both receptions and receiving yards entering play on Sunday.

Despite not being one of the biggest names at his position, Thomas has performed at a record level through two-and-a-half seasons. His 266 catches through his first 39 career games are the most for any player in NFL history.

Even more may be asked of Thomas going forward considering the state of the Saints’ other receivers. After Dez Bryant tore his Achilles’ tendon on Friday, the Saints now have five receivers on injured reserve compared to just four receivers on their active roster.

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Those other three active receivers besides Thomas have combined for 17 receptions in their entire NFL careers. That’s just one more catch than what Thomas had in Week 1 against the Bucs.

Thomas’ end zone celebration wasn’t the only noteworthy touchdown celebration for the Saints last week.

Ben Watson announced that he and his wife are expecting twins by tucking the football under his shirt and then holding up seven fingers as he and his wife already have five kids.

“Going from the Watson 5 to the Watson 7,” he said.

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Ross Kelly has been a sportswriter since 2009.
Ross Kelly has been a sportswriter since 2009 and previously worked for ESPN, CBS and STATS Inc. A native of Louisiana, Ross now resides in Houston.
Location
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