Keegan-Michael Key Surprises Rico Dowdle on Video After Fine for Viral TD Celebration

Days after paying tribute to one of football's all-time great touchdown celebrators, Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle got a surprise from the man himself.

Hingle McCringleberry, aka Keegan-Michael Key, Zoomed into the Panthers' film session this week to thank him for using the two-pump celebration when he scored a touchdown in Sunday's win over the Green Bay Packers.

In addition to the surprise appearance, Key and his wife, Elisa Pugliese, said they are also making a $15,000 donation to the GoFundMe that Dowdle set up to raise money for the Children's Home Society of North Carolina in response to his fine from the NFL.

Dowdle was fined $14,491 by the league for celebrating his third-quarter score with two pelvic thrusts. The officials also flagged him for unsportsmanlike conduct.

The celebration was a nod to the Key & Peele sketch in which Rhinos legend Hingle McCringleberry could not stop getting flagged because he didn't know how to cut himself off at two pelvic thrusts.

Dowdle emphasized as he was walking off the field that he only did two pumps.

Back in 2017, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell did announce the league was relaxing some of its rules to allow more celebrations after big plays following discussions with more than 80 current and former players.

Goodell's note included this note: "That is why offensive demonstrations, celebrations that are prolonged and delay the game, and those directed at an opponent, will still be penalized."

The commissioner also specifically posted on X about the Key & Peele celebration not being allowed.

You know Goodell, who has been on X since 2009, was serious about enforcing that rule because he has only posted 553 times on the platform in 16 years.

Even though Dowdle's personal wallet got lighter as a result of the celebration, his GoFundMe endeavor has raised more than $27,000 since it went live on Wednesday.