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NFL Announces Punishment for Second Cowboys Player After Trevon Diggs

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Angelo Guinhawa | Last updated Oct 11, 2025 6:36 PM ET

The Dallas Cowboys beat the New York Jets in their Week 5 showdown, 37-22. Dak Prescott threw for 237 yards and four touchdowns on 18-of-29 pass completion, giving New York no chance at all.

Justin Fields and the Jets took a 3-0 lead in the first quarter off a Nick Folk field goal, but it was all Cowboys after that. Dallas even led 30-3 midway through the third quarter.

Despite the complete dominance over the Jets, however, it wasn't all positive for the Cowboys. Two players were fined by the NFL for their actions during the Week 5 game.

On Saturday, cornerback Trevon Diggs was fined $12,172 due to a "striking/kicking/tripping/kneeing" violation. It was a result of Diggs' heated encounter with Arian Smith, during which the Cowboys star swung his fist after the Jets receiver headbutted him.

Aside from Diggs, Cowboys offensive tackle Nate Thomas was slapped with a $4,814 punishment for what the NFL called an "obscene gesture" during the contest.

For those who missed it, the second-year Cowboys player did a hip-thrust celebration following a Jake Ferguson touchdown in the second quarter. Unfortunately for the 24-year-old, the NFL prohibits sexually suggestive gestures and celebrations.

So this is why Cowboys LT Nate Thomas was called for unsportsmanlike conduct.

He went full Hingle McCringleberry. pic.twitter.com/OzvuotIkqW
— Mauricio Rodríguez (@MauNFL) October 6, 2025

Under the prohibited acts of its rulebook, the NFL included: "Any violent gesture, which shall include, but not be limited to, a throat slash, simulating firing or brandishing a gun, or using the 'nose wipe' gesture, or an act that is sexually suggestive or offensive."

For what it's worth, Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer addressed Thomas' celebration on Friday.

The gesture reminded fans of a "Key & Peele" skit featuring a player called Hingle McCringleberry, who loves celebrating with hip thrusts. The sketch basically poked fun at the NFL's rule by suggesting that two pumps are acceptable but a third one is punishable.

Schottenheimer, for his part, referenced the skit during an interview with 105.3 The Fan.

Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer stands on the field before facing the New York Jets.Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

"I actually didn't see exactly what the celebration was," Schottenheimer shared. "I just explained to him like, 'Okay, we want you to have a good time, we want to celebrate.' It's that whole thing about, 'Hey, play to the edge, don't go over the edge.'"

The Cowboys coach added, "And you know, it's the Hingle McCringleberry thing. I think it's a real thing. And it's like three pumps is too many. And two, you're fine. But we had we had a really good time with it in the medium. The guys loved it. And they were very large thrusts. They were not mini thrusts."

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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