The NFL changed rules this year to allow for a greater range of celebration. The door opened for using the football as a prop, celebrating on the ground, and group demonstrations, leading to shows of Duck-Duck-Goose and Thanksgiving family meals by large groups of teammates.
If you haven’t seen these displays it’s probably because you’re only watching the New England Patriots and head coach Bill Belichick has no time for any of these celebrations.
“Yeah, we’re really focused more on trying to keep the other team out of the end zone and trying to get into the end zone,” Belichick said. “We haven’t really spent a lot of time on the half time show.”
That’s not to say that Belichick doesn’t want his players to be excited about making a big play; in fact it’s the opposite. Belichick loves when his players show emotion and support one another.
It’s simply that Belichick follows the guidelines of the memo, unlike other teams. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell talks about “spontaneous displays of emotions” with regards to the rule change and having choreography for the celebration certainly reduces the “spontaneity.”
That said, if Belichick were to turn his focus towards touchdown celebrations, I guarantee you that he would have the offensive line performing technically-sound basket tosses with James White and all the skill receivers outkicking The Rockettes.