Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon celebrated a trip to the end zone with a coin flip celebration last week and while he seemed to be having fun with the display, the NFL was not a fan, fining him with Mixon saying he'll appeal the fine. Mixon took a quarter from his glove and flipped it during their Week 18 win against the Baltimore Ravens.
Here is a look at the celebration:
Mixon really had a coin in his glove 😂#BudLightCelly | @budlight pic.twitter.com/eg8evfvtsT
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) January 8, 2023
The league rules do not allow props in touchdown celebration, so a fine was expected.
The fine amount is $13,261, and the Bengals running back is appealing in more ways than one. Friday, he took to Twitter to propose -- get this -- a coin toss to settle the fine. Mixon says if the toss comes up heads, he will pay the fine. If it's tails, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell will have to pay the fine amount to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Cincinnati.
@NFL since y’all all about the coin flipping let’s do this. Let’s have a coin toss to pay this crazy fine for expressing myself. If it’s heads I’ll pay. If it’s tails Roger G pay the money to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Cincinnati. 🪙 #AllAboutTheKids #WhoDey pic.twitter.com/XuG9ohXkT2
— ⚡️Primetime!!!⚡️ (@Joe_MainMixon) January 13, 2023
Bengals legend Chad Johnson said he would help the 26-year-old pay the fine. Mixon says it was Johnson who gave him the idea for the celebration.
Before the game, Johnson tweeted, "Dear Bengals players, if you love me the way i love you guys when you score tomorrow someone has to flip a coin as their celebration & call tails."
Dear Bengals players, if you love me the way i love you guys when you score tomorrow someone has to flip a coin as their celebration & call tails 🪙
— Chad Johnson (@ochocinco) January 7, 2023
When Johnson heard about the fine, he wanted to make sure Mixon was covered.
Johnson tweeted, "On my flight headed to Cincinnati & that makes me happy, i have my checkbook so I can reimburse Joe Mixon on whatever fine amount was handed down from the league office."
On my flight headed to Cincinnati & that makes me happy, i have my checkbook so i can reimburse Joe Mixon on whatever fine amount was handed down from the league office.
— Chad Johnson (@ochocinco) January 13, 2023
The celebration was a reference to the NFL announcing the home field advantage in a wild card game could be determined by a coin flip. If the Ravens had won the game, the AFC North playoff showdown's location would have been chosen by a coin flip. This came due to the Bengals' game against the Bills getting canceled, after Buffalo safety Damar Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest on the field. The Ravens did not win, so the coin flip did not come into play.
The Bengals and Ravens will face off on Sunday at 8:15 p.m. ET in Cincinnati on Super Wild Card Weekend. Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson will not play.
