The NFL is updating its rulebook ahead of the new season — and one familiar celebration won’t be making the cut.
According to a memo sent to all 32 teams this week, the league has officially added the “nose wipe” gesture to its list of banned celebrations. The updated rules categorize it as “unsportsmanlike conduct,” placing it alongside other “violent gestures” such as the throat slash, simulated gun motions, or any sexually suggestive behavior. A 15-yard penalty will now be issued to any player who uses the move on the field.
“Any violent gesture, which shall include but not be limited to a throat slash, simulation firing or brandishing a gun, or using the ‘nose wipe’ gesture, or any act that is sexually suggestive or offensive,” the memo reads, per ESPN’s Ben Solak.
smh, i have plenty in mind😒. https://t.co/rn0OliWbb4
— CeeDee Lamb (@_CeeDeeThree) March 26, 2025
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, who often uses the move after big plays, shared a brief response on X (formerly Twitter): “Smh, i have plenty in mind.”
While the NFL has eased up on certain celebration rules in recent years, the league continues to revise its guidelines in an effort to balance player expression with what it considers sportsmanlike conduct on the field.
