Cincinnati Bengals Receiver Andrei Iosivas Wins Appeal, NFL Expected To Tweak Celebration Rules

Jay Morrison | Oct 3, 2024

Sep 23, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Andrei Iosivas (80) reacts after wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (1) scores a touchdown in the second half against the Washington Commanders at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images / Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

CINCINNATI – Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Andrei Iosvias is celebrating a pair of wins in the last few days.

In addition to hauling in a big 29-yard reception on the final drive of the first half in Sunday’s 34-24 victory at Carolina, Iosivas won his appeal of the fine the NFL hit him with for his “violent gesture” in the Week 2 game against the Kansas City Chiefs.

"I beat the case. I'm pretty happy about that. Saved a lot of money, Iosivas said.

The NFL fined Iosivas $5,305 for pantomiming the shooting of a bow and arrow at Arrowhead Stadium following his first of two touchdowns in the Bengals’ 26-25 loss.

"My agents and I have trailblazed a new path for the NFL,” Iosivas said. “I think they came out with something today saying the bow and arrow celebration would not be banned and that it's not a violent gesture.

“I said, 'Look, they do it for archery ... they shoot it up in the air for celebrations,” Iosivas added. “There's a lot of evidence there that it's not violent. I wasn't shooting it at anybody. There was no malicious intent at all behind it."

Iosivas said the celebration was spur of the moment.

His next one may not be.

“If they didn't take back the fine, I actually had something planned," he said. "I was gonna fake pull the bow and then recoil it back in. But they gave my money back, so maybe I'll hold on to that. Or maybe I'll still do it. Who knows?"

Ja’Marr Chase also was fined in the Kansas City game for verbally abusing an official. His fine was for $31,599. Chase said he would appeal it, but he has yet to say whether the league has ruled on his appeal.

Last year Bengals wide receiver and special teams stalwart Stanley Morgan Jr. received a $43,709 fine for his tackle of Houston’s Robert Woods on a kickoff return.

Morgan won his appeal, and the league wiped out the entire amount.

Iosivas has three touchdowns this season and five in his last six games.

So what feels better, scoring a touchdown on winning the fine appeal?

“If I was on a vet contract … ,” said Iosivas, whose base salary this season is $915,000

“So maybe winning the case right now,” he added. “Yeah, getting $6,000 back feels pretty good.”

What about making the bow and arrow his signature celebration the way Chase has with the Griddy?

“Hopefully I'll come up with something more unique. We'll see,” Iosivas said. “But the bow and arrow is definitely a fan favorite. I might keep it in the holster for the next time we play the Chiefs.”

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