Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers, Tennessee Titans wide receiver Calvin Ridley, and Detroit Lions defensive end Za’Darius Smith all took a page from Nick Bosa’s playbook on Sunday, using dance moves inspired by President-elect Donald Trump to celebrate their big plays.
Bowers had an impressive performance with 13 catches for 126 yards and a touchdown in the Raiders’ 34-19 loss to the Miami Dolphins. The rookie electrified the crowd with a Trump-inspired arm shaking and hip swaying after scoring a 23-yard catch-and-run TD. Bowers commented on his celebration, “I’ve seen everyone do it. I watched the UFC fight Saturday night and Jon Jones did it. I like watching UFC so I saw it, and thought it was cool.” However, the Raiders chose not to include Bowers’ postgame availability with their other postgame videos, and his comment on the Trump dance was omitted from team transcripts.
UFC fighter Jon Jones also performed the Trump dance after his victory over Stipe Miocic Saturday night, even pointing to Trump seated ringside at Madison Square Garden and giving him a thumbs-up.
In Tennessee, Ridley performed the herky-jerky dance while celebrating alongside teammate Nick Westbrook-Ikhine during the Titans’ 23-13 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. Detroit’s Za’Darius Smith, joined by Malcolm Rodriguez, showcased the dance after a crucial sack in the fourth quarter of the Lions’ commanding 52-6 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
San Francisco 49ers star defensive end Nick Bosa, who spearheaded the trend, was fined $11,255 by the NFL for wearing a “Make America Great Again” hat during a postgame television interview. The hat violated the league’s NFL uniform and equipment rules. Bosa had crashed a television interview that included quarterback Brock Purdy during NBC’s postgame coverage of the Niners’ win over the Dallas Cowboys on October 27, prominently displaying the pro-Trump hat. Last week, Bosa continued his controversial celebrations, dancing in Trump’s style after a sack during San Francisco’s victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Trump dance phenomenon has not just captivated NFL players but has also spread to college players and beyond. Recently, players from the English soccer club Barnsley celebrated a goal with the signature Trump dance, marking its international reach.
