The 12 Worst New Ways to Celebrate in Sports

There seems to be a constant effort in sports to come up with new ways to celebrate. Athletes and fans alike think they’ve come up with something creative and awesome—but they’re not always on point.

Some of the celebrations we’ve seen in 2014 have been well, not great. From poor dance moves to red wigs and kilts, from gleeful smiles to mocking injuries, these displays of athletic joy will hopefully die on the vine.

Which are the worst of the worst? Let’s just chalk these up to failed experiments, and with any luck, we will never, ever see any of them again.

Honorable Mention: Inadvertent Attack

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This one is an honorable mention because it was more grandstanding than celebrating.

Either way, accidentally smashing a coach in the head is not a good way to celebrate anything.

Buffalo Bills cornerback Leodis McKelvin learned this during his team’s win against the Detroit Lions. As he flailed about attempting to influence the decision to reverse a Lions touchdown, he clocked an assistant coach in the process.

Spike Uncertainty

Bill Wippert/Associated Press

No, you spike it!

As Tom Brady and Julian Edelman celebrated their touchdown connection against the Cincinnati Bengals, they tossed the football back and forth as if each wanted the other to have the honor of spiking the ball.

Please, someone just spike the football already.

Brian Hoyer’s Locker Room Dance

Cleveland Browns quarterback Brian Hoyer dancing doesn’t seem like a good way to celebrate anything.

Then again, he did just help his team complete the biggest road comeback in the history of the NFL, so maybe he should get a pass.

Fake Dunk

Jeff Haynes/Associated Press

Don’t fake a celebration. Faking a celebration is not a celebration; it’s just lazy.

Golden Tate acted all like he was going to dunk the football over the crossbar and then pulled up at the last minute after a score against the Buffalo Bills.

That celebration is so boring, it doesn’t deserve any more words.

Gronk’s Sad Spike

Charlie Riedel/Associated Press

Rob Gronkowski’s touchdown spikes are generally quite spirited.

That’s why his lackluster celebration after a score against the Kansas City Chiefs was so disappointing.

Sure his team was down by a whole bunch, but if you’re bummed about an impending loss, then maybe just don’t spike the ball after a meaningless TD at all?

True, it was really more of a disgusted toss than a spike, but still.

Vroom, Vroom

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When Billy Butler of the Kansas City Royals steals a base and does the “vroom, vroom,” it’s hilarious because, well, it's Billy Butler. (He’s a first baseman and designated hitter nicknamed Country Breakfast.)

But when Jarrod Dyson, speedy center fielder and pinch runner, does it, somehow it just seems over the top.

Just go about your business, Dyson. No need to be pompous about it.

Celebration Thwarted

Brandon Wade/Associated Press

Another poor celebration idea is to run haphazardly across the field while holding the football aloft one-handed.

Houston Texans linebacker Justin Tuggle tried this out after recovering a fumble against the Dallas Cowboys.

Ironically, Tuggle “fumbled” the celebration when Cowboys center Travis Frederick dislodged the ball from his elevated hand.

Destruction of Property

This celebration comes to us courtesy of a Brazilian soccer fan.

When Brazil defeated Chile this summer in a World Cup match that went to penalty kicks, this guy was pretty amped—so amped in fact, that he smashed his own television.

Hopefully this doesn’t become a trend. Really, who does that?

Jerry Jones' Giddy Grin

Jae C. Hong/Associated Press

True, sometimes Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones doesn’t have a lot to smile about, but when he does, he doesn’t need to be so giddy about it.

The Cowboys beat the New Orleans Saints pretty handily in September, and Jerry Jones responded like Mr. Burns from The Simpsons.

I can only imagine him muttering to himself, “Excellent.”

Head Coach Attack

By the looks of the video, it’s unclear why this fan was approaching Nick Saban, but whatever the reason, the escorting cop wasn’t taking any chances.

After Ole Miss defeated Alabama, fans (naturally) rushed onto the field in celebration. One fan was running straight for the 'Bama head coach, and he got a face full of stiff arm for his troubles.

Not the smartest.

Mocking Injuries

Soccer fans are deeply passionate. Sometimes that’s good, and sometimes it’s very, very bad.

Case in point: Argentinian fans celebrated Brazilian rival Neymar’s back injury during the 2014 World Cup.

Video surfaced of fans waving around a plastic spinal section of a skeleton—almost surely a reference to Neymar’s fractured vertebra, which he had suffered in an earlier match.

So very uncool. 

Actual Injuries

Rick Osentoski/Associated Press

The discount double check is apparently a terrible new way to celebrate—just ask Detroit Lions linebacker Stephen Tulloch.

After a big defensive stop against Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers, Tulloch attempted the quarterback’s patented move and managed to tear his ACL in the process.

He’s done for the season.

Rory’s Wig

The European team won the 2014 Ryder Cup.

For some reason not readily apparent, Rory McIlroy decided to celebrate by wearing a red wig and kilt.

But wait, American team members joined in the fun also—perhaps attempting to have fun despite the loss?

Either way, this is not something anyone needs to see again.