Part of all the fun of scoring a touchdown in the NFL is the following celebration. Some players opt for a simple high-five from their teammates. Other celebrations are well-known traditions, like the “Lambeau Leap” in Green Bay.\u00a0<\/p>\n
One pretty specific celebration, though, has caught the eyes of NFL officials in recent years, resulting in some penalties for big-name players who found the end zone.<\/p>\n
Unsportsmanlike conduct penalties have been assessed for what’s become known as the “Hingle McCringleberry celebration” \u2014 a nod to a “Key and Peele” skit, where a goofy character played by Keegan-Michael Key violates a “two-air-pump” rule monitored by football referees. McCringleberry’s celebration has come to reality in the years since it aired as a viral skit, with NFL players from Aaron Rodgers to Rico Dowdle participating.<\/p>\n
Here’s everything to know about the “Hingle McCringleberry celebration,” from “Key and Peele,” from the details of the skit to the NFL players who have done it.<\/p>\n
MORE:\u00a0Full guide to unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, from fines to ejections for rules<\/a><\/p>\n Who is Hingle McCringleberry?<\/p>\n Hingle McCringleberry is a fictional football player, played by Keegan-Michael Key, from a skit in the comedy sketch show “Key and Peele.” He originated from a skit about a fake “East\/West Bowl” game featuring\u00a0humorous made-up names for the players, but then has his own skit where he becomes known for his excessive enthusiasm and signature celebration.<\/p>\n In his own separate skit later on, McCringleberry then does a “three-pump” touchdown celebration, with his hands on his head as he thrusts forward to celebrate a score. That results in a penalty as referees keep a close eye on him. In the skit, McCringeberry is told that he’s allowed to do two pumps on his celebration, but not three, a sarcastic nod to the NFL’s strict rules about excessive celebrations.<\/p>\n Since the “East\/West College Bowl” skit first aired from “Key and Peele,” McCringleberry has become arguably the most well-known fictional players from the skit. According to Fandom,<\/a> McCringleberry even has his own lore, which includes a background from Penn State University and representing the Rhinos in the celebration skit.<\/p>\n MORE:\u00a0Everything to know about the NFL’s taunting penalty<\/a><\/p>\n What is ‘Key and Peele’<\/p>\n “Key and Peele” is a an American comedy sketch series from a duo of comedians, Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele. The show aired on Comedy Central from 2012-15, but it also found a lot of success from the skits being posted online.<\/p>\n The series featured pre-taped sketches and live-stage segments centered around the two comedians, covering a wide range of topics, from politics to everyday interactions. Since the show ended, Key and Peele have both remained highly successful in individual careers; Key has remained an actor, while Peele has become a filmmaker known for his horror movies like “Get Out” and “Nope.”<\/p>\n MORE: What is “Scorigami” in the NFL?<\/a><\/p>\n Hingle McCringleberry skit\u00a0<\/p>\n Here is the full “Key and Peele” skit focused on McCringleberry’s celebrations:<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Hingle McCringleberry gif<\/p>\n On social media, the “Hingle McCringleberry celebration” has often gone around as a GIF:<\/p>\n 2 Hingle McCringleberry references in two weeks? @KeyAndPeele<\/a> #NFL<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/ItQUOgLuOT<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Mike & Maye SZN (@Lpool_5843) November 2, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n MORE:\u00a0What is a catch in the NFL? Explaining the league’s definition<\/a><\/p>\n What was Hingle McCringleberry’s penalty for?<\/p>\n In the “Key and Peele” skit, McCringleberry is penalized by the official only when he does three air pumps with his body \u2014 an important distinction. The announcers in the humorous video explicitly state that “the rulebook says you cannot have more than two” pumps in the celebration, which McCringleberry repeatedly violates despite attempts to avoid the penalty.<\/p>\n McCringleberry argues with the ref, tries putting space between the second and third pump, and even does the smallest possible pump with his body on the third go-around, but he’s flagged for an excessive celebration each time.<\/p>\n MORE:\u00a0Ranking the 10 ugliest sports statues, from Dwyane Wade to Cristiano Ronaldo<\/a><\/p>\n Where did Hingle McCringleberry go to college?<\/p>\n According to the original “East\/West College Bowl” skit, Hingle McCringleberry was an alum of Penn State University.<\/p>\n McCringleberry’s actor, Keegan-Michael Key, is an alum of the school, and he has made plenty of visits to State College, Pennsylvania for Nittany Lions<\/a> games in the past. He’s appeared as a guest picker for “College GameDay” and he also once impersonated former Penn State coach James Franklin leading the team on the field for a spring game:<\/p>\n<\/p>\n MORE: Everything to know about the NFL’s personal conduct policy<\/a><\/p>\n NFL players doing the Hingle McCringleberry celebrationLance Moore<\/p>\n In 2013, not long after the original “Key and Peele” skit aired, New Orleans Saints<\/a> wide receiver Lance Moore hit the three pumps in the end zone after scoring against the Buccaneers<\/a>:<\/p>\n @saints<\/a> Lance was legendary for this \ud83e\udd23 #Saints<\/a> #NFL<\/a> #KeyAndPeele<\/a> #Funny<\/a> #Celebration<\/a> #Touchdown<\/a> @Key & Peele \u266c original sound – New Orleans Saints<\/a>Von Miller<\/p>\n In 2015, star pass rusher Von Miller celebrated a sack for the Denver Broncos<\/a> against Matthew Stafford with a pelvic thrust similar to McCringleberry’s.<\/p>\n The NFL fined Miller for that celebration \u2014 but “Key and Peele” reportedly paid that fine.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201c[Kenny Stills and Lance Moore] for real, for real did it,\u201d Keegan-Michael\u00a0Key said, per SB Nation<\/a>. \u201cLance Moore was the first one to really do it. He scored a touchdown, Kenny Stills runs next to him, takes his diaper, right? And he stands there. His form was perfect, and Kenny Stills even threw the flag. I\u2019ll pay their fine. Jordan and I paid Von Miller\u2019s fine because he had perfect form on the three-pump.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Aaron Rodgers<\/p>\n In Week 6 of the 2020 NFL season, Green Bay Packers<\/a> star quarterback Aaron Rodgers got in on the McCringleberry celebration \u2014 only doing two small pumps \u2014 following a touchdown run that was ultimately called back against the Buccaneers:<\/p>\n Jamaal Williams<\/p>\n Running back Jamaal Williams has added his own flair to the McCringleberry celebration more than once. As a member of the Packers in 2020, he did it once:<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Once again in 2022, then as a member of the Detroit Lions, Williams was back at it. He was called for unsportsmanlike conduct, though.<\/p>\n Jamaal Williams got flagged for the Hingle McCringleberry celly \ud83d\ude2d<\/p>\n (via @NFLonFOX<\/a>)pic.twitter.com\/92e0O4ne5k<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Overtime (@overtime) September 25, 2022<\/a>Rico Dowdle<\/p>\n In Week 9 of the 2025 NFL season, Carolina Panthers<\/a> running back Rico Dowdle found the end zone against the Packers, and certainly knew what he wanted to do next. Dowdle spun the football, then put two fingers up to signal his upcoming two “thrusts.”<\/p>\n With teammates surrounding him and his hands on his head, Dowdle did the McCringleberry celebration \u2014 except an official was standing right behind him. He was flagged, and because the Panthers got a 15-yard penalty, they wound up missing the following extra-point. Carolina still held on for the win.<\/p>\n Rico Dowdle:<\/p>\n \/stops at two pumps (the Panthers missed the ensuing extra point) pic.twitter.com\/jrebsbE5Pn<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Christian D’Andrea (@TrainIsland) November 2, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cFrom my understanding and everything I\u2019ve learned, we go over stuff like this every week in the meeting room. I definitely think you\u2019re supposed to get two pumps,” Dowdle said following the game, per USA Today<\/a>. “Hopefully, I don\u2019t get a fine.\u201d<\/p>\n Keegan-Michael Key then responded to Dowdle’s celebration on Instagram, saying he got “robbed” with following flag.<\/p>\n “You only did two pumps. I’m sorry, man,” Key said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Panthers head coach Dave Canales brought up the celebration during a team meeting. He then introduced Key who talked to Dowdle and the team about the penalty. Dowdle got fined and had started a GoFundMe in honor of the Children’s Home Society of North Carolina. Key introduced his wife who informed Dowdle and the Panthers that they would cover the fine and donate $15,000 to his GoFundMe.\u00a0<\/p>\n Rico was pretty pumped to see him pic.twitter.com\/azDvoWgvEr<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) November 8, 2025<\/a>Stefon Diggs<\/p>\n Members of the New England Patriots<\/a>, primarily wide receiver Stefon Diggs, hit the Hingle McCringleberry celebration multiple times in the 2025 season.\u00a0<\/p>\n @nflonfox<\/a> Iconic \ud83d\ude02 #nfl<\/a> #nflfunny<\/a> #patriots<\/a> \u266c original sound – NFLonFOX<\/a><\/p>\n MORE:\u00a0Ranking the 16 biggest power couples in sports, including Stefon Diggs and Cardi B<\/a><\/p>\n Rico Dowdle GoFundMe, explained<\/p>\n Despite his protestations, Dowdle did, in fact, get fined for his gesture. He subsequently launched a GoFundMe<\/a> to “support his fines.” His fundraiser is actually raising money for the Children’s Home Society of North Carolina, a foster care and family support network that specializes in “education and prevention programs, family preservation, and adoption and foster care.”<\/p>\n As of Nov. 6, 2025, Dowdle has raised nearly $17,000 for the foundation.<\/p>\n Do NFL players get fined for celebration dances?<\/p>\n Yes, NFL players can be fined for celebration dances. It’s typically up to the discretion of the officials, but if dances are too suggestive, overly taunting another player or lengthen the game time, the league will typically discipline that player for the dance.<\/p>\n Excessive celebrations usually result in unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, which is a 15-yard offense and an automatic first down for the other squad.\u00a0According to the\u00a0NFL rulebook<\/a>,\u00a0the label of unsportsmanlike conduct “applies to any act which is contrary to the generally understood principles of sportsmanship.”<\/p>\n Inappropriate gestures are listed in the NFL rulebook as follows: “Any violent gesture, which shall include, but not be limited to, a throat slash, simulating firing or brandishing a gun, or using the ‘nose wipe’ gesture, or an act that is sexually suggestive or offensive.”<\/p>\n For unsportsmanlike conduct penalties,\u00a0the player can be fined $14,491 for a first offense or $20,288 for a second offense. Fines are typically handed out the Friday after the weekend in which the offense occurred.<\/p>\n MORE:\u00a0Everything to know about NFL overtime, from rules changes to controversies<\/a><\/p>\n Has Hingle McCringleberry been in other ‘Key and Peele’ skits?<\/p>\n Yes, Hingle McCringleberry has appeared in more than just his celebration skit. Originally, he was featured in the “East\/West College Bowl” skit, where Key and Peele impersonate made-up football players with goofy names and accents that only grow more outlandish.<\/p>\n MORE: How does the NFL’s concussion protocol work?<\/a><\/p>\n East\/West College Bowl skit<\/p>\n Here is the original skit where Hingle McCringleberry appears:<\/p>\n<\/p>\n MORE:\u00a0What to know about offensive and defensive pass interference penalties<\/a><\/p>\n
\/gets flagged anyway<\/p>\n