Imitation is the best form of flattery, right?
Well, Los Angeles Rams cornerback Marcus Peters certainly thinks so.
Near the end of the Rams' 33-13 rout of the Oakland Raiders on Monday Night Football, Peters intercepted a Derek Carr pass and returned it 50 yards for the game's final touchdown. All was fine, until he actually crossed the goal line.
https://twitter.com/RamsNFL/status/1039390982335156225?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1039390982335156225&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fbleacherreport.com%2Farticles%2F2795822-marcus-peters-says-fine-for-obscene-gesture-vs-raiders-was-worth-it
During his return, the two-time Pro Bowler leaped and grabbed his crotch while falling into the end zone, imitating a gesture now Raiders running back Marshawn Lynch did several times during the 2014 season when he was a member of the Seattle Seahawks.
Similar to Lynch who was fined over $30,000 for making the gesture on two separate occasions, Peters was fined $13,369 by the NFL.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=4&v=H2P6TwZlh6A
"Yeah, it's a lot of money, but it was worth it," Peters told ESPN.com Friday.
"It's all paying respect and loving the game," Peters said of his touchdown celebration. "... Who knows if this [is] Marshawn's last year playing in the league. S---, we was up, closed the game out, no better way to go out in Oakland. Who knows the next time we'll get to play the Raiders in Oakland. They're going to Vegas in what, a year and a half?"
Peters and Lynch have a close relationship-- Peters refers to the 32-year-old back as his cousin. Lynch was suspended for one game last season after making contact with an official while breaking up a fight between Peters, then with the Kansas City Chiefs, and several Raiders offensive linemen. Peters testified on Lynch’s behalf during an unsuccessful appeal attempt.
"This was something that he had discussed with him before, if he was going to be able to make a play like that," head coach Sean McVay told ESPN. "So it was a good way for those guys to kind of have an inside joke, laugh about it, and I think it all was in fun and lighthearted."
Quite the costly joke.
