Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield might be a little lighter in the wallet for his Christmas shopping this month after the NFL issued him a fine.
According to ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter, Mayfield and his teammate Bucky Irving were each fined for a touchdown celebration that included their use of the “nose wipe” gesture after scoring against the Arizona Cardinals this past week. Mayfield was fined $14,491, while Irving was left $6,349 lighter in the wallet.
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Neither player was flagged for the incident. Tampa Bay went on to win the game 20-17.
NFL vice president Troy Vincent previously stated that the gesture would be fined as a “violent gesture” in 2025 due to its “gang connotations.” He said that the NFL wanted to kill the gesture and that other players don’t like it either.
“[The nose wipe] has gang connotations; it’s disrespectful,” Vincent said in April. “It’s just where we are in society. Young men, they come from that era, from that age, and they’ve grown up on social media. If anybody Googled ‘nose wipe,’ you’ll see the language that is used and where that’s affiliated. I think the players know better. I know they know better.
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“We’re focusing on a small fraction (of players), but sportsmanship is important… When you see it, you’ve got to kill it. You’ve got to stop it immediately. Most players don’t want it in the game either.”
EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – NOVEMBER 24: Baker Mayfield #6 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the New York Giants during the second quarter at MetLife Stadium on November 24, 2024 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)Elsa/Getty Images
State of the Bucs
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been going through a bit of a rough patch lately. Despite starting the season 6-2, they’ve fallen to 7-5 after suffering a three-game losing streak in November. They weren’t even that competitive in several of their losses.
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The losses have allowed the rival Carolina Panthers to draw even with them at seven wins apiece and the two sides face each other twice in the final three weeks of the season.
Needless to say, it would behoove Mayfield and the Bucs to start playing a little more like the Super Bowl contender they think they are, and fast.
This story was originally published by The Spun on Dec 6, 2025, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add The Spun as a Preferred Source by clicking here.