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Panthers RB Rico Dowdle taunts NFL with fake 'Key & Peele' TD celebration after fine

by: Alex Byington6 hours ago_AlexByington
NFL: New Orleans Saints at Carolina Panthers
Nov 9, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle (5) celebrates with teammates after scoring a touchdown during the first quarter against the New Orleans Saints during the first quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Rico Dowdle learned his lesson after last week. After being fined nearly $14,500 by the NFL for his “two-pump” salute to the infamous “Hingle McCringleberry” Key & Peele sketch, the Carolina Panthers running back avoided a similar fine this week when he opt for a fake out touchdown celebration instead.

Following a first-quarter touchdown Sunday that gave the Panthers an early 7-0 lead against the New Orleans Saints, Dowdle huddled several teammates around him and put his hands behind his head as if he was going to once again reinact the touchdown celebation made famous by the fictional “Hingle McCringleberry” character played by comedian Keegan-Michael Key. But that was all in jest as Dowdle quickly broke the huddle and bolted to the Panthers sideline instead.

Dowdle wasn’t as wise last week against the Green Bay Packers when the Panthers’ breakout starattempted to honor the infamous Key & Peele sketch in which McCringleberry gets flagged for a touchdown celebration that includes three “pumps” — hip thrusts. In the sketch, a referee played by show co-creater Jordan Peele throws an excessive celebration flag, but only after McCringleberry’s third “pump” as announcers explain the “rule book” says a player is only allowed two “pumps.”

Of course, if those were the actual rules, Dowdle wouldn’t have been flagged last week. Unfortunately, the NFL has its own rules about excessive celebrations, and they don’t line up with the Key & Peele sketch.

Earlier this week, after first releasing a video on social media acknowledging Dowdle’s “two-pumps” touchdown celebration against the Packers, Keegan-Micahel Key joined the Carolina Panthers by Zoom and playfully explained the NFL doesn’t use the same rules as the beloved Comedy Central sketch show.

“Apparently, I guess, the rules that are made up in a comedy sketch do not necessarily reflect the rules in the NFL,” Key joked. “That means if your next celebration, you do, let’s say zero pumps, that would then cost you zero thousand dollars in a fine.”

Key then announced he and his wife would be making a $15,000 donation to the charity of Dowdle’s choice, matching what he already donated after starting a GoFundMe page for his NFL fine.

It’s clear Dowdle took Key’s advice Sunday.