Touchdown celebrations have come a long way since the days of simple spikes and high-fives. Players now choreograph elaborate routines that reference pop culture, trending memes, and whatever’s hot on social media. The NFL used to penalize excessive celebrations, but they have loosened up in recent years. That freedom has given athletes room to get creative, and the Arizona Cardinals just tapped into one of the wildest sports trends out there.<\/p>
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray<\/a> scored on a 12-yard scramble during the Cardinals’ Week 5 matchup against the Tennessee Titans, putting Arizona up 14-3 early in the game. After crossing the goal line, Murray didn’t do his usual meditation celebration or any standard quarterback move. Instead, he broke out a power slap celebration that caught everyone’s attention. The gesture mimicked the open-handed strikes that have become wildly popular thanks to the internet and UFC<\/a> President Dana White’s push into the slap fighting world. Murray’s celebration connected football fans with combat sports fans in a way nobody expected!<\/p> The power slap celebration felt fresh and unexpected. Murray usually keeps his celebrations pretty low-key, but this time he decided to have some fun with a trend that’s exploded across social media platforms. Power slapping has become entertainment gold online, with videos of competitors trading devastating open handed blows racking up millions of views.<\/p>Arizona Cardinals Brings Power Slap Fighting To The NFL<\/h2>