The NFL Should Be Cool For Once & Not Fine Ezekiel Elliott For Jumping Into Kettle

Roger Goodell— not the Grinch— might steal Christmas this year.

I want to preface this by stating that I'm not a Cowboys fan. I also don't feel too strongly about Ohio State as I didn't attend school there, and neither did either of my parents or siblings. I have no idea why I'm so passionate about this topic, but it needs to be addressed.

The NFL should absolutely not fine Ezekiel Elliott for jumping in the Salvation Army kettle.

In the midst of a fourth quarter, primetime onslaught of the Indianapolis Colts, Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott took a joyful leap into the Salvation Army kettle that sits in the end zone at AT&T Stadium.

To my knowledge, the Cowboys are the only team in the league with an EMPTY Salvation Army kettle that sits in the end zone. It's almost like they're begging somebody to jump into it.

The History of Zeke and the Kettle

In Zeke's stellar 2016 rookie season, he leaped into the kettle and was not fined, despite breaking NFL protocol by using a prop to celebrate. He made a $21,000 donation to the Salvation Army. Pretty cool.

Two years later, Zeke threw $21 into the kettle after scoring a touchdown on Thanksgiving. The NFL didn't like that, fining him $13,369 for the celebration. Elliott matched every $21 donation to the Salvation Army after that stunt. 

Everything had to have been good then, right? Wrong. The No Fun League couldn't help themselves any longer.

On Thanksgiving, Dallas tight ends Dalton Schultz, Jake Ferguson, Peyton Hendershot and Sean McKeon were fined a combined $27,094 for their viral Whac-A-Mole celebration in the Salvation Army kettle.

The Salvation Army says it receives an uptick in donations after Zeke's antics. In 2016, they said they received $850,000 in online donations after his leap, which equated to 91,000 meals served.

Zeke loves jumping in the kettle. America loves when he jumps in the kettle.

Let him jump in that kettle and let everybody have their fun with it.