The NFL’s “eye in the sky” doesn’t miss much, if anything, so Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson may have thought he was about to get dinged on Saturday. Ferguson’s “crime”? Jumping into the famous Salvation Army bell at AT&T Stadium during the Cowboys’ 31-28 win over the Kansas City Chiefs on Thanksgiving Day.
“Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson, notably, was not fined at all for jumping into the Salvation Army red kettle after a third-quarter catch that was originally ruled a touchdown,” Cowboys Wire’s Todd Brock wrote on his official X account. “Video review showed that Ferguson did not get both feet down before falling out of bounds while making the catch in double coverage. Even though he tapped one foot down twice, the touchdown was ultimately overturned.”
Ferguson’s fine would have likely fallen under the “Banned/Excessive Celebrations” section of the rulebook, which prohibits the use of props and usually costs players between $12,000 to $14,000. This amount is relatively affordable for Ferguson, who signed a 4-year, $50 million contract extension before the season.
In his four seasons, Ferguson has only been fined once — a $4,895 fine as a rookie for, you guessed it, excessive celebration against the New York Giants.
### Ferguson Coming Off Career Low in Week 14
Ferguson probably wouldn’t have been surprised if he was fined. It’s just been that type of week for him after one of the worst games of his career in a 44-30 loss to the Detroit Lions on Thursday Night Football.
In the first half, Ferguson lost a fumble that set up a Detroit touchdown. Late in the half, he was called for a hands-to-the-face penalty that nullified what would have been 1st-and-goal from the Lions’ 2-yard line — essentially a costly 50-yard penalty. In the fourth quarter, the Cowboys had to settle for another field goal after Ferguson was flagged for a questionable offensive pass interference call while running a route into the end zone.
Even more concerning has been Ferguson’s tendency to cough up the ball, which has taken away some of the shine from what would otherwise be a spectacular year. He is currently second in the NFL among tight ends with 75 receptions and 7 touchdowns, adding 554 yards to his stats.
“Jake Ferguson didn’t have a fumble in his first 35 career games,” wrote 105.3-FM The Fan’s Bobby Belt on his official X account. “That’s his 7th fumble in his last 25 games.”
### Ferguson Trying to Crack the Upper Echelon of Tight Ends
Ferguson earned Pro Bowl honors in his second season (2023) with 71 receptions for 761 yards and 5 touchdowns. However, he seemed to regress in 2024, especially with quarterback Dak Prescott out for the final 10 games of the season. Ferguson finished this year with 59 receptions for 454 yards and zero touchdowns, and he also missed 3 games due to injury.
Unfortunately for Ferguson, he’s unlikely to be considered among the upper echelon of NFL tight ends until the Cowboys start winning consistently. The recent loss to the Lions snapped a 3-game winning streak and dropped Dallas’s overall record to 6-6-1.
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Despite some struggles, Ferguson remains a key piece for the Cowboys’ offense as they aim to regain their winning form heading into the remainder of the season.
https://heavy.com/sports/nfl/dallas-cowboys/jake-ferguson-avoids-nfl-punishment/
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