Relaxing fines will make game more enjoyable

The nation’s most popular league may finally be loosening the handcuffs.

On Wednesday, ESPN reported the National Football League may be relaxing its rules regarding the fines imposed for excessive celebrations.

In recent years, the NFL has seemingly thrown out fines just for the sake of collecting more money.

The celebration that sticks out the most in recent memory is from December 2015 when Antonio Brown of the Pittsburgh Steelers had a 71-yard punt return against the Indianapolis Colts at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh.

Brown, a Central Michigan product who earlier this week became the league’s highest paid wide receiver, found a hole in the Colts’ punt coverage and streaked down the middle of the field.

After blowing by now-retired punter Pat McAfee, Brown sprinted to the end zone and didn’t stop once he crossed the goal line. He ran to and jumped on the goal post padding, straddling it as he fell to the ground and was mobbed by teammates.

Brown got fined $11,576.

In week one of the 2016 season, Brown once again was reprimanded for a celebration with which he thrusted his hips a few too many times.

That cost him more than $9,000.

During the same week, Victor Cruz and Odell Beckham Jr., both wide receivers for the New York Giants, were fined more than $12,000 each for Beckham Jr. pretending to photograph Cruz after a touchdown. The NFL deemed the “choreographed” celebration as excessive.

A few weeks later, Washington Redskins cornerback Josh Norman was docked $9,115 for mimicking a bow and arrow. During the same game, Cleveland Browns wide receiver Terrelle Pryor was fined for mimicking LeBron James’ chalk throw after the former caught a touchdown pass.

Vernon Davis, a Washington Redskins tight end, was fined $12,154 for shooting the ball through the goal post after a touchdown.

Players can spike the football after they score. No one in the sport right now is known for doing so more than New England Patriots’ tight end Rob Gronkowski — his move is dubbed the Gronk Spike.

But why does “shooting” the ball through the uprights, or dunking over the goalpost, warrant a fine?

The National Football League, like any professional sports league, is in business of filling the seats with fans. It is in the business of entertaining.

Brown straddling the goal post, his hip thrusts, Beckham Jr. “taking a picture” of Cruz or Pryor paying homage to the best basketball player on the planet are all entertaining.

The morning following Brown straddling the goal post, his antics were a topic of conversation on almost every sports highlight or talk show. The likelihood of his eventual fine probably accompanied the clip too, but it was entertaining nonetheless.

The goal post in the NFL is 10 feet high, the same as a basketball goal. A basketball dunk is an exciting play; it is entertaining.

Watching a football player decked out in a helmet and shoulder pads elevate to slam a football over a 10-foot goal post? Just as enjoyable as a basketball dunk. There’s one difference: on the gridiron, it’s a punishable offense.

Financial repercussions are taking away part of the league’s entertainment.

Celebrations get fans talking long after the play or the game has been completed. Conversations of those actions should not have to include the fact it resulted in a fine.

In recent years, players have been handcuffed at expressing themselves for the fear of getting fined. Wednesday, the NFL made strides to loosening the grip on personal expression after touchdowns.

It should lead to an already entertaining sport becoming even more enjoyable.