As the cliché says, we’re standing on the shoulders of giants. While that’s usually applied to fields like medicine or technology, it’s also true of professional sports. If you want an example of that, look no further than Miami Dolphins receiver Tyreek Hill and his Week 6 cellphone celebration.
While the speedster is no stranger to finding the end zone, he got a bit more exuberant than usual on Sunday. After breaking the plane, Hill found someone behind the end zone, commandeered their cellphone and attempted to film a selfie-style video of himself doing a backflip. The technology didn’t exactly cooperate, but the wideout still garnered plenty of attention.
He wasn’t the first NFL athlete to break out a cellphone after scoring, though. With that in mind, let’s take things back to 2003 and acknowledge Joe Horn.
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Tyreek Hill Celebrated in Style Against Carolina
Thus far, the Miami Dolphins have had plenty to celebrate during 2023. The AFC East outfit is sitting on an impressive 5-1 record, thanks largely in part to an explosive offense. Hill and his historically good start to the season is a key part of that success.
Through six games, the Cheetah has an eye-watering 814 receiving yards and six touchdowns; the former metric is a Super Bowl-era NFL record for the high-water mark through the first six games of the season.
In that context, it’s not surprising that Hill was in good spirits during his Week 6 outing.
At the tail end of the second quarter, he found the end zone on a 41-yard touchdown pass from Tua Tagovailoa. The receiver promptly made his way toward the edge of the field, grabbed a smartphone and did his signature backflip.
While the video Hill filmed briefly hit the internet, it was quickly pulled from the NFL’s UK Twitter account. While some speculated that was because it would look hypocritical to promote the clip, and then fine the receiver for his celebration, the recording was captured before it vanished.
The Dolphins star, however, said he wasn’t too concerned about the impending fine.
“I know the NFL’s gonna fine me for it but it’s worth it,” Hill explained, according to CBS’ Jonathan Jones. “I’m having so much fun. My life isn’t about money. I play this game for passion.”
Joe Horn Also Had a Famous Cellphone Celebration
While Hill has brought the cellphone celebration into the modern era with a selfie, he wasn’t the first one to bring technology onto the field. Joe Horn, who stands alongside Terrell Owens and Chad Johnson/Ochocinco as one of the elite self-expressionists in modern football history, once retrieved a flip phone from the goalpost padding after scoring.
But did you know that there’s actually a personal backstory to that celebration?
As Brendan Boylan laid out in a 2021 SI.com piece, Jaycee Horn, the receiver’s son, wanted to watch his dad play on Sunday Night Football. While the prospect of school the next day meant he had to stay home, the then-four-year-old did receive a promise from his dad.
“My dad was like, ‘I’m gonna call you. I’m gonna call you,” Jaycee remembered.
Sure enough, the receiver reached the end zone and retrieved his now-iconic cellphone. While he didn’t actually place a call, it still resonated with his son.
“Guess that was his way of showing us [that he called],” Jaycee explained.
Horn was fined $30,000 for his celebration, but he probably didn’t bat an eye. Not only did the receiver earn more than $36 million during his NFL career, but he gave his child a memory that will last a lifetime.
Did Tyreek Hill’s celebration carry that same level of sentimentality? Not that we know of. But, with that being said, it was still eye-catching—the NFL did tweet it out, after all—and didn’t offend anyone.
Alternatively, put it this way: Football fans probably still remember Joe Horn’s cellphone celebration nearly 20 years later. Wouldn’t it be in the league’s interest to celebrate those moments of fun rather than punishing them?
When it comes to cellphone celebrations—and the fines they carry—the more things change, the more they stay the same.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.