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Michael Thomas not only set a New Orleans Saints record by having 211 receiving yards in a single game, but he also got the attention of the nation when he reprised Joe Horn’s famous flip phone celebration in Sunday’s Week 9 game against the L.A. Rams.
Now, Thomas is going to pay for it.
The National Football League has fined Thomas $30,000 for his touchdown celebration, according to a report from NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport.
Thomas was fined in particular for using the phone as a prop.
After scoring the game clinching 72 yard touchdown, Thomas went directly to the padding around the goal posts in the end zone, reaching underneath and pulling out a flip phone that he put there before the game, making like he was calling someone.
The celebration drew a 15 yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
Michael Thomas broke out the Joe Horn-inspired TD celebration ???? pic.twitter.com/nx7a7K3hbO
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) November 5, 2018
Horn first executed the same celebration back during the 2003 season when a member of the New Orleans Saints in a Monday night game against the New York Giants in which he scored four touchdowns. As a result of the gimmick, Horn was also eventually fined $30,000 by the NFL.
“I paid 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 after the game. “You gotta have fun. All these guys just catching touchdowns and celebrating, 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.”
This is the second time this season that Thomas has been fined by the league: the receiver was issued a $10,000 bill by 345 Park Avenue after he was found guilty of taunting in the Saints’ Oct. 8 game against the Washington Redskins. Thomas and several Redskins defensive players exchanged words during and after the game.
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