The Kansas City Chiefs and their fans have started breaking out the famous “Swag Surfin” celebration, a nod to the hit song by Fast Life Yungstaz (F.L.Y.) that Lil Wayne further popularized on his “No Ceilings” mixtape.
On Sunday, as the Baltimore Ravens took on the Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game, they appeared to have a “Swag Surfin” celebration of their own ready to go. After wide receiver Zay Flowers caught a 30-yard pass in the first quarter to even the score at 7-7, the Ravens assembled and busted out the popular dance move as a group.
The Ravens may have been getting a subtle dig in at Taylor Swift as well after the pop star was spotted dancing to it as well in her luxury box at a recent Chiefs game.
Unfortunately for the Ravens, that was their only chance to celebrate a touchdown on an evening that unfolded in heartbreaking fashion for the city of Baltimore.
Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images
The Chiefs’ defense clamped down on the Ravens the rest of the way, allowing just one field goal in the fourth quarter as they advanced to the Super Bowl with a 17-10 win.
The Ravens had plenty of chances for additional touchdown celebrations, including a huge one on the first play of the fourth quarter as Flowers dove forward and stretched for the end zone. Just before the ball broke the plane, Chiefs cornerback L’Jarius Sneed reached out and knocked it free. The ball bounced around until the Chiefs recovered it in the end zone for a touchback.
That proved to be essential, as the Chiefs won by a single score.
The Chiefs’ connection to “Swag Surfin” started when they beat the Bengals in Week 17. Chiefs linebacker Willie Gay got a cameraperson’s attention on the sidelines during the 25-17 victory and told them to “pass the word up” to the stadium’s DJ that the Chiefs wanted to hear the song.
“We really need that,” Gay said.
The DJ came through, and a party ensued.
Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce later praised Chiefs fans for doing the dance, which he said got the entire team charged up.
“It’s a classic man,” Kelce said. “I really want to say since I’ve been here, it’s been a huge fourth quarter, big-time moment, big-time like drive in the game for our defense, they play a highlight video that has ‘Swag Surf’ on it as a song and it gets everybody hyped.”
The Chiefs will play the winner of the Detroit Lions and the San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl on Feb. 11.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.