Tyreek Hill’s backflip celebration in Week 6 resulted in a videographer’s suspension from covering NFL games. The NFL revoked the game credentials of videographer Kevin Fitzgibbons, a 20-year-old student at the University of Miami.
Fitzgibbons used his phone to capture Hill’s celebration against the Carolina Panthers, and the NFL disciplined him because of it. Fitzgibbons explained in a video that he was seen jumping up and down excitedly before he sent the video clip to the NFL.
Even though Fitzgibbons had worked with Hill in the past, the NFL suspended him for the remainder of the season.
“One of the best moments of my life turned upside-down in a matter of seconds,” Fitzgibbons said in the video.
“The NFL then let me know I would be suspended for the remainder of the season, and possibly for good,” Fitzgibbons said in the video. “They said regardless if I knew the celebration was coming or not, I still had to be disciplined and that I shouldn’t have jumped on the sidelines after the play.”
Hill reposted Fitzgibbons’ video, which has more than 4.7 million views on TikTok and over 111,000 Instagram likes since Tuesday night, with the caption, “I would comment but I could get fined.”
The Dolphins wide receiver expressed his disappointment as he pleaded with the NFL to change their mind, to no avail.
“Me and K-Fitz, we’ve got a long history together,” Hill said. “The news is something that I already knew. I told him don’t let this get to you. Just hold your head up. You’re still young. Continue to do what you love. Me and him are going to continue to work together.
“I told him I was going to cover his salary, whatever the NFL was going to pay him or whatever. I told him I was going to make sure that I do what’s right and take care of you, make sure you’re not out of a job.”
According to a source, Fitzgibbons’ game access will be temporarily suspended due to multiple violations of NFL policy, but he remains an NFL employee and is encouraged to participate in other projects involving off-field league events as well as personal projects with players.
