Chiefs rookie Xavier Worthy flagged for ‘violent gesture’ during touchdown celebration against Steelers

For the second time this season, Kansas City Chiefs rookie Xavier Worthy has gotten into trouble with the NFL for referring to firearms during an on-field celebration.

The former Texas Longhorns wide receiver caught the opening touchdown of the Christmas Day doubleheader on Netflix on Wednesday. But after catching Patrick Mahomes’ seven-yard pass to the pylon to give the Chiefs an early 6-0 lead over the Pittsburgh Steelers, he and teammate Hollywood Brown embarked on an elaborate Christmas-themed touchdown celebration.

At first glance, it looked like the recipients were emulating Santa Claus by simulating the process of putting presents into a giant bag. Or possibly the two were imitating Dr.’s Christmas-stealing Grinch. Seuss. But once that was done, Worthy lifted his shirt to expose his waistband as if he were an armed robber.

Officials caught the act and penalized the Chiefs 15 yards on the extra point, which was consequently missed by Harrison Butker.

The Netflix announcers joked that Worthy was pretending to have a “Super Soaker” squirt gun instead of an imaginary firearm.

But as Worthy already knows, the league has a rule against “violent gestures” during celebrations, and that certainly includes references to weapons. Worthy was fined $11,255 in September for pointing the finger at Cincinnati Bengals safety Vonn Bell, and several other NFL stars have faced similar penalties this season.

Xavier Worthy (1) celebrates his touchdown with Hollywood Brown (5) with a pantomime

Xavier Worthy appeared to make a reference to a handgun when he pulled his shirt hip

Falcons receiver Drake London regretted his gun-themed celebration against the Eagles in September.

After hauling in a seven-yard pass from Kirk Cousins, London pretended to shoot a gun into the stands at Lincoln Financial Field – earning him an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and setting up Younghoe Koo’s game-winning extra point was a 48-yarder.

Speaking to ESPN at the Falcons facility, London admitted that he had “lost myself a little bit” at this point and will likely stop the celebration.

“It’s a trend in football at the moment to have these kinds of celebrations,” London said.

“It was my first Monday Night Football game. I lost myself a little there. I wasn’t happy with the position I put my team in.’

He continued, “There’s a lot of stuff going around in the world with gun violence that I don’t think I should have shown. So I’m not too happy about it, and [you] I probably won’t see that again from me.’

The London celebration came after the Falcons hosted high school students from Apalachee High School, where four people were fatally shot earlier this month.

Head coach Raheem Morris said his team is “sensitive” to the issue of gun violence, but admitted London should not have been celebrating.

A day earlier on Tuesday, he claimed at a press conference that London was “probably shooting T-shirts into the stands… because he’s just that kind of guy.”