Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle turned a costly touchdown celebration into an unexpected fundraiser this week, following a fine from the NFL that stemmed from a nod to a well-known Key & Peele comedy sketch.
The play in question happened during the Panthers’ game against the Green Bay Packers on November 2. After crossing the goal line, Dowdle briefly celebrated with two hip thrusts — a reference to the 2013 sketch in which Keegan-Michael Key portrays a football player testing the limits of the league’s celebration rules. In the sketch, three thrusts trigger a penalty. Dowdle stopped at two.
However, the NFL still flagged Carolina for unsportsmanlike conduct, and Dowdle was later fined $14,491, according to ESPN. His agent, David Canter, confirmed the plan to appeal.
Dowdle responded by launching a GoFundMe on November 5, according to Us Weekly (via Yahoo! Sports). “Key said I got three pumps, but I guess the NFL disagrees,” he wrote, referencing the original joke. But instead of asking fans to cover the fine, Dowdle announced that 100% of the money raised will go to Children’s Home Society of North Carolina, an organization focused on family support, adoption services, and youth programs.
The fundraiser quickly gained traction, surpassing $25,000 by Friday afternoon.
The moment received attention from one of the people who created the original joke. In a video shared to Instagram, Key told Dowdle, “Rico, man, you got robbed. You only did two pumps… Now I’m going to have to write a new sketch.” Fans and former Panthers players joined in with supportive comments.
The conversation carried into the locker room later in the week, when Panthers head coach Dave Canales surprised the team by playing a video from Key during a meeting. Key jokingly explained that the rules of the comedy sketch “do not necessarily reflect the rules of the NFL,” adding that his own family would be contributing $15,000 to the GoFundMe.
Speaking to reporters, Dowdle said the fundraiser began lightly but “turned into something much bigger.” He emphasized that the attention ultimately helped direct support toward children and families in need.