Detroit Lions receiver Nate Burleson plans to tone down his celebration if he scores a touchdown against the Chicago Bears on Monday, but he denies his celebration on Sunday violated league rules and plans to appeal his $10,000 fine.
After scoring in the fourth quarter of Sunday's win over the Philadelphia Eagles, Burleson seemed to simulate shooting down a bird, perhaps an eagle. And he was fined $10,000.
"In my opinion, no (the fine wasn't justified), and I'm going to appeal it on Tuesday," Burleson told "The Carmen, Jurko & Harry Show" on ESPN 1000 on Friday. "Hopefully, I get all my money back.
"There's been guys (acting as if they were) shooting guns and bow and arrows and swords being pulled out. I don't think my super soaker was a justifiable fine. ... I wasn't doing anything violent. The rule is you can't do anything violent toward your opponent or toward the other sideline or toward the other team's coaches. And I don't think that was warranted. I was just out there very brief. It probably took me five or six seconds, and a lot of enthusiasm. I caught a touchdown in a very critical moment of the game. This is a very passionate sport. I don't understand why they put so many strict rules on showing that enthusiasm."
Burleson said his celebration Monday would be different.
"It's going to be somewhat of a tribute to Chicago," he said. "If I pull out another gun, I'm going to be broke. It's not going to be anything violent, it's going to be more of a tribute.
"It could be to somebody who's a celebrity. It could be somebody that is looked up to in Illinois. It could be anything. But it's going to be something that shows that I'm a fan of so many more people and I've been motivated by watching some of the great legends before me."