Packers' Josh Jacobs Says Touchdown Gesture Honored a Gospel Song, Not His Arrest
Green Bay running back Josh Jacobs said a hands-behind-the-back touchdown celebration that drew criticism was inspired by a gospel song and did not mock his recent arrest.
Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs said that a touchdown celebration in which he briefly kept his hands behind his back was a tribute to a gospel song and not a reference to his recent arrest, ABC News reported. The celebration took place during a game on Thursday night, and the outlet's headline states that it drew criticism.
Jacobs said he was paying homage to the song rather than making light of the arrest, ABC News reported. The outlet's summary did not name the song, but another report supplied that detail.
The Guardian, which credited the Associated Press as the author of its report, said Jacobs pleaded no contest to battery charges last month. The same report described the touchdown as coming in Jacobs's second game of the season and said he claimed the gesture was an ode to a gospel song. The Guardian summary does not describe the rest of the game.
Fox News reported that the song was "Break Every Chain" and that the celebration was inspired by it rather than by Jacobs's offseason arrest. Fox News thus describes the arrest as an offseason matter, while ABC News and The Guardian describe it as recent.
The available summaries do not say who criticized the celebration or what the criticism said. None of the three reports quotes anyone other than Jacobs on the matter.
Sources: ABC News: Packers' Jacobs says TD celebration that drew criticism was modeled after a gospel song; The Guardian: Packers’ Josh Jacobs says hands-behind-back TD celebration was not mocking recent arrest; Fox News: Packers star Josh Jacobs says his controversial touchdown celebration referenced a gospel song, not his arrest.