The Kansas City Chiefs clinched the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoff picture in Week 17 when they picked up a 29-10 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Rookie wide receiver Xavier Worthy had a big game for the Chiefs, but his controversial touchdown celebration netted him a big punishment from the NFL.
Worthy continued his recent breakout with KC, as he hauled in eight passes for 79 yards and a score in this one, while also adding another 10 yards on two carries. The Chiefs got on the board thanks to Worthy, as he hauled in a seven-yard touchdown pass from Patrick Mahomes.
After the play, Worthy got flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct due to his touchdown celebration, as he pulled his jersey up around his waist and faked holstering a gun. The NFL has had no tolerance for celebrations that involve guns this year, meaning it wasn’t a surprise when it was announced Worthy was fined for his celebration.
“The NFL fined Chiefs WR Xavier Worthy $14,069 for unsportsmanlike conduct (violent gesture) – pretending to show a gun in his waistband during a TD celebration on Christmas,” Tom Pelissero shared in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The penalty for Worthy’s touchdown celebration was initially quite controversial, as Netflix broadcast of the game only captured him acting as if he was throwing gifts into a bag, a nod to the game being played on Christmas. Once the above clip emerged, though, it became a lot more clear why Worthy was penalized here.
While the Chiefs are resting several of their starters in their meaningless Week 18 contest against the Denver Broncos, Worthy doesn’t carry an injury designation, making him likely to at least play a handful of snaps in this game. Kansas City will wrap up their regular season campaign in Week 18 on Sunday, Jan. 1 at 4:25 p.m. EST.