Reliving the best celebrations in recent Packers history

On Tuesday, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell released a statement notifying fans and players that the league would be easing up on its penalizing of celebrations after touchdowns. This move was greeted with much excitement by some fans, including a unanimous vote of support from APC’s contributors.

Of course, not everyone likes fun. Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis, for example, thinks that this decision is “not a very good example for young people.” Perhaps this reaction is just leftover frustration from dealing with Chad Johnson/Ochocinco for so long, though. (This is also an interesting viewpoint from Lewis, given that the Bengals have on multiple occasions acquired players who have conducted themselves poorly off the field.)

Regardless, the league’s relaxing of these rules was very well-received by the players themselves, as was the use of examples of what is now considered acceptable that was not before.

One of the celebrations that was supposed to be penalized last season was performing a snow angel on the field — it violated the league’s policy on penalizing celebrations that involve a player going to the ground. The Packers’ Randall Cobb actually was the first player to do so in a game in 2016, but he was not penalized because he was already on the ground. However, in an interesting twist, this play was actually used by the league as an example of what will be acceptable moving forward.

Of course, the Lambeau Leap had been grandfathered in under the league’s previous rules as an acceptable celebration, but this move now fully confirms that it is under no danger of being scrutinized in the immediate future.

With these new rules in mind, here is a look back at a handful of the other celebrations (non-Leap division) that the Packers have seen from their players over the last few years.

Gilbert Brown: The Gravedigger

Aaron Rodgers: The Belt

It seems like this celebration has been around since Rodgers arrived in the NFL, but it really took hold during the team’s drive to the Super Bowl in 2010:

For better or worse, State Farm has co-opted Rodgers’ legendary championship belt celebration into a corporate slogan, the “discount double-check.”

Still, it has an enduring quality about it. Rodgers’ famous support of the Wisconsin Badgers men’s basketball team even earned the celebration a crossover, after Zak Showalter hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer against Florida this spring in the NCAA tournament:

Aaron Rodgers: Super Mario Jump/FIFA celebration

Although the belt is great, Rodgers’ nerdiest, cleverest, and I’d say best celebration is his channeling of Super Mario. Even if he says it’s inspired by the FIFA soccer games, I’m not quite buying it. Check out this video on the celebration from Sunday NFL Countdown back in 2015 and decide for yourself.

B.J. Raji: Show me what you got, Raji

After intercepting Caleb Hanie’s pass in the 2010 NFC Championship and taking it in for a touchdown, Raji broke out one of the great impromptu celebrations in recent Packers history.

Then State Farm got a hold of this one, too, and another commercial was spawned.

Nick Perry: Petting the club

After breaking a bone in his hand last season, Nick Perry started having some fun with the massive club he had to wear on his left hand. Here he is after a sack of Sam Bradford in week 16:

Which other Packers-related celebrations do you remember fondly?