Just in time for Tony Gonzalez's retirement, the NFL is doing away with the future Hall of Famer's patented post-touchdown dunk celebration.
NFL vice president of officiating Dean Blandino told the "Dan Patrick Show" on Tuesday that dunking over the crossbar will be penalized, starting in the 2014 season.
There already was a rule in place against using the football as a prop in celebrations. Penalizing dunks is an enforcement of the existing rule, as opposed to a new rule on the books.
"We grandfathered in some, the Lambeau Leap and things like that. But dunking will come out," Blandino said. "Using the ball as a prop or any object as a prop, whether that's the goal post, the crossbar, that will come out and that will be a foul next season."
It's perhaps no coincidence that Blandino's revelation comes at a time when the NFL's Competition Committee is considering raising the goal posts by 5 feet.
After watching Jimmy Grahamrock the crossbar off kilter last season, the league might have decided it would be easier to wreak havoc on raised goal posts, affecting game momentum and player safety.
As for Gonzalez, he's already weighed in.
The latest "Around The League Podcast" broke down all the latest news at the NFL Annual Meeting.
