By the mid-1980s, touchdown celebrations
had woven themselves into the fabric of the
NFL. In contrast to the spontaneity that
characterized earlier examples, these dances
were often elaborately choreographed.
In an era when athletes became overnight celebrities, the touchdown dance was not only a (mostly) friendly competition between players but an entertainment marketing ploy.
Although most of these dances were performed for fan amusement and team camaraderie, examples of excessive celebrations and aggressive taunting also began to appear more frequently in both the NCAA and the NFL.
End zone celebrations involving multiple players-including players not directly involved in the play- became a phenomenon. The
Washington Redskins’ offensive squad, “The Fun Bunch” was famous for its group high-five.
Not to be outdone by their teammates in the end zone, others turned the entire playing field into a dance floor. NY Jets defensive end Mark Gastineau celebrated his quarterback sacks with an egomaniacal “sack dance”.
Widely attributed to both the showboating antics of the “Fun Bunch” and Gastineau’s rival-taunting sack dance, the NFL introduced an “excessive celebration” ban in 1984. Despite the ban, an atmosphere of competition and personal glory in the end zone remained and largely influenced a whole new generation of NFL superstars who would take the end zone celebration to even bigger and bolder heights…
But, before we go there…take a look at some of the best end zone dances of the 80s:
