Viking Fined for a Wee Bit of Twerking
Dustin Baker
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The NFL doesn’t look fondly on ‘twerking’ or any touchdown celebration it considers too controversial. Well, there was a smallish twerk on Sunday during the Minnesota Vikings 27-22 triumph over the New York Jets — and your friends at the NFL’s front office noticed.
Alexander Mattison performed the “suggestive” dance after a touchdown at U.S. Bank Stadium. It seemed the 24-year-old had gotten away with it this week, as the celebration clip was shared worldwide, even by NFL media. But no cigar, as the league waited until Friday to levy a fine.
The league fined Mattison $6,503 for the twerk.
The Vikings only allowed Mattison to touch the ball 5 times versus New York, resulting in 18 yards from scrimmage and the touchdown. But the score was of the utmost importance, shoving the lead to 17-3 at a time when it felt like Minnesota would alas win a game handily. Of course, they did no such thing, allowing the Jets back into the game after a 20-3 advantage but later hung on to win by five.
Naturally, Mattison was unimpressed with the fine, tweeting on Friday, “They share it like crazy.. then fine you like crazy ?? smh.”
He also questioned the random amount, “And I just wanna know who sits there and comes up with these random number amounts for fines ?.”
Mattison wasn’t the only player fined from the contest. Jets safety Jordan Whitehead was docked for a big hit on wide receiver Justin Jefferson, one the NFL deemed illegal. Like Mattison, Whitehead was displeased with the fine.
Mattison is earning $965,000 in 2022, the final year of his rookie contract with the Vikings. The fine of $6,503 is the equivalent of a person making $40,000 per year — paying a $270 ticket.
The Vikings take on the Detroit Lions this Sunday at Ford Field. Minnesota is a two-point underdog despite holding the NFL’s second-best record at 10-2.
The fine is the first of Mattison’s career. Teammate Dalvin Cook was fined in October for throwing a football in the crowd during a game at the Miami Dolphins
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His Viking fandom dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).
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