Jamaal Williams explains why he was surprised he drew flag for touchdown celebration

Jamaal Williams drew a flag for his viral touchdown celebration on Sunday, but he openly wondered why after the game.

Lions running back Jamaal Williams had a nice outing Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings, with over 100 total yards on 22 touches highlighted by two rushing touchdowns. After the second touchdown, Williams’ celebration got some attention and naturally, drew a penalty.

Everyone immediate harkened back to the “Hingle McCringleberry” skit from “Key and Peele”. 

Williams apparently thrusted his hips one too many times. The unsportsmanlike conduct penalty did not hurt the Lions, as Vikings running back Dalvin Cook fumbled on the ensuing possession. If it had hurt the team, the “against fun” crowd would have been all over it.

Jamaal Williams doesn’t quite know why he drew a flag for celebration

The “Key and Peele” skit made fun of how the NFL was so strict on how players could celebrate touchdowns. The league has loosened those reigns since then, but the line between fine and too far is apparently at hip thrusting a few too many times.

After the game, the ever-loquacious Williams of course was asked about the celebration and the penalty.

Via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press:

"I’ve been doing that (dance) forever,” Williams said. “They didn’t give me no explanation. They probably was just jealous of my hip movements. But I’ve never got a flag for that ever, now I got to fugure out what I got to do.”"

Will Williams now rethink his touchdown celebration?

"Hell nah,” he said. “I’m going to do it, I’m just going to hit one (hip thrust). Hit one and go to something else real quick"

Via Kyle Meinke of MLive, Williams also said he was doing his celebration before the “Key and Peele” skit and wondered why he all of a sudden drew a penalty for it.

"I’ve been doing this forever. So now my stuff is correlated to (’Key & Peele’), and nothing against them, but that’s mine. That’s my hips. And it’s not even thrusting. It’s more like a wave, you know? Thrusting is more like (this). Mine’s more like a wave. That’s why I should get away with it, and I’ve been getting away with it all these years. But now they want to bust me for it? I was pissed."

Williams is tied for the league lead with four rushing touchdowns, which also matches his career high for a season already. So there may be plenty more celebrations to come, and we’ll get to see what else he has up his sleeve in order to not draw a flag.

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