Touchdown celebration Touchdown celebrations are sometimes performed after the scoring of a touchdown in American football . Individual celebrations have become increasingly complex over time , from simple " spiking " of the football in decades past to the elaborately choreographed displays of the current era . Individual arenas have also developed unique celebratory rituals such as the running of " Quick Six " , and the " touchdown horse " of the Calgary Stampeders , after each hometown touchdown . NFL football . Taunting and celebration are both offenses in the NFL ; as a result , gaudy displays are often frowned upon . If the league views the act as highly offensive , large fines and even suspensions can be issued . In 2006 the NFL , in an effort to cut down on celebrations , amended its rules to include an automatic 15 yard penalty against any player who leaves his feet or uses a prop , like a towel , or more specifically the football . The penalty is called as " excessive celebration " , and the yardage is charged against the offending player ' s team when that team kicks off to the opposing team . Simply spiking the ball is not considered " excessive celebration " , but deliberately spiking it in front of a defender is . Jumping onto the outer wall to accept contact from fans , such as the Lambeau Leap , is also not considered such , as it is off the field of play . NCAA football . College football , governed by the NCAA also penalizes excessive celebrations with a 15 yard penalty . NCAA Football Rule 9 - 2 , Article 1 ( a ) ( 1 ) ( d ) prohibits " Any delayed , excessive , prolonged or choreographed act by which a player ( or players ) attempts to focus attention upon himself ( or themselves ) " ; in addition , Rule 9 - 2 , Article 1 ( a ) ( 2 ) asserts that " After a score or any other play , the player in possession immediately must return the ball to an official or leave it near the dead - ball spot . " Additionally , if a player ' s actions is considered " unsportsmanlike conduct " the result is dead - ball foul ; a " flagrant unsportsmanlike conduct " foul requires player ejection . If a player ’ s nonfootball - related act ( e . g . taunting or cursing ) causes an opponent to physically retaliate , it is considered fighting and both players are ejected . Arena football . The rules for celebrations in the AFL are the same as the NFL ; no props are allowed . However , choreographed or group dances are often seen after a score . CFL football . Player celebrations . The CFL is much more lenient than the NFL when it comes to touchdown dances . It often has very small , if any , penalties handed out to players who celebrate excessively . CFL end zone celebrations often include more than one player , often a whole wide receiving corps of 4 - 6 players . Past celebrations have included five Calgary Stampeders receivers holding out their hands and mimicking the pouring of drinks from a champagne bottle , then stumbling around as if drunk ; another end - zone routine simulated a bobsleigh run when receiver Jeremaine Copeland sat down and wrapped his legs around the goal - line pylon with the rest of the receiving corps tucked in behind him . The same group also pantomimed a four - seater stationary bicycle , which all players played a role for the bicycle . Edmonton Eskimos punt returner Henry " Gizmo " Williams celebrated punt return touchdowns by doing a backflip in the end zone . The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have a celebration whereby players form a circle , toss a football in the air in the middle of the circle and then fall directly backwards in unison when the ball lands on the ground as if a hand grenade has exploded . In the 2008 CFL season , the Winnipeg receiving corps did a few celebrations , most notably a version of Duck , Duck , Goose , as well as a walking race across the end zone . In the 2009 CFL season , the Hamilton Tiger - Cats did a memorable celebration in Winnipeg , as a fishing boat was at the edge of the end zone . Hamilton scored two touchdowns within a minute , both times got into the boat and celebrating as though they were fishing , literally showboating . During the August 14 , 2010 , a celebration by the Toronto Argonauts in which several players mimicked a rowing crew drew an Objectionable Conduct penalty . Stadium celebrations . Long - standing tradition at McMahon Stadium has a horse run the length of the stadium with a team flag each time the hometown Calgary Stampeders scores a touchdown . Other stadiums have developed similar traditions . The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have a small airplane ( known as the " touchdown plane " ) while the Saskatchewan Roughriders fire smoke mortars from behind the goalposts in celebration of home team touchdowns . The Edmonton Eskimos have a fire engine circle the field after each touchdown , throwing souvenirs into the crowd . Memorable celebrations . It has been argued that celebration penalties have affected the outcomes of games . The September 6 , 2008 game between Washington and BYU saw the Washington quarterback , Jake Locker , score a touchdown , putting Washington within one point with two seconds to go . Upon entering the endzone , however , Locker threw the ball high in the air , for which his team was penalized , the referee applying NCAA Rule 9 - 2 , Article 1 ( a ) ( 2 ) , which asserts that " after a score or any other play , the player in possession immediately must return the ball to an official or leave it near the dead - ball spot , " paragraph ( c ) of which expressly forbids " throwing the ball high into the air . " BYU blocked the ensuing 38 - yard extra point attempt and won the game . On December 30 , 2010 , Kansas State ' s Adrian Hillburn scored a 30 - yard touchdown catch with 1 : 08 left in the 2010 New Era Pinstripe Bowl against Syracuse , narrowing the score to 36 - 34 . He subsequently saluted the crowd in a quick military fashion and was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct . The penalty pushed Kansas State ' s 2 - point conversion attempt ( to tie the game and possibly force it into overtime ) back to the 18 yard line . Kansas State would then miss the 2 - point conversion , and Syracuse went on to win the game .