Carolina Panthers RB Rico Dowdle turns his celebration fine into a major GoFundMe success to support CHSNC while avoiding future penalties.
The Carolina Panthers continue to lean on their emerging ground attack, and the rise of Rico Dowdle has pushed the Panthers offense into one of its strongest stretches of the season. The former undrafted running back from South Carolina has delivered a breakout year that placed him among the league leaders in rushing, and the Panthers running back has become one of the most talked-about players in the NFC South. That attention only grew after his Panthers touchdown celebration in Week 9 turned into a league fine, a viral moment, and a charitable push.
The Charlotte Observer’s Mike Kaye took to his X (formerly known as Twitter), sharing a clip of Dowdle explaining how his GoFundMe became a huge success while he works to avoid further penalties. Kaye noted the former Dallas Cowboys running back addressed the celebration and his approach moving forward.
“No pump, no fine.”
#Panthers RB Rico Dowdle is meeting with Children’s Home Society on Friday after the incredibly successful GoFundMe page he set up.
While it led to a lot of good, he’s hoping he can avoid fines in the future.
The gesture came after the league fined him for the two-pump celebration during the Green Bay Packers vs. Panthers game the week prior. The moment referenced a popular comedy sketch, and fans quickly rallied to support him. When GoFundMe representatives reached out, the Panthers running back chose to turn the joke into a fundraiser benefiting the Children’s Home Society of North Carolina. The effort surged past forty thousand dollars and drew a major donation from Keegan Michael Key, further expanding its reach.
The Panthers offense tried to build off the momentum from the fundraiser, but Dowdle’s Week 10 showing vs. the New Orleans Saints reflected how tough the matchup became. He stayed the lead option with 18 carries and scored on the opening drive, yet the defense closed space quickly after that. He finished with 53 rushing yards and added 3 receptions for 10 yards, underscoring how hard yardage became as the game wore on. Even with the rough outing, his season-long production still kept him near the top of the league and cemented his place in the Panthers attack. His touchdown included a fake Key and Peele celebration, earning laughs without drawing a flag and closing out a week where he turned a penalty into a meaningful cause.
The Minnesota Wild (8-7-4) is back on home ice tonight to host the Vegas Golden Knights (8-4-5). The Wild will be without forward Vladimir Tarasenko for the second straight game.
Tarasenko, 33, has two goals and ten points in 18 games this year for the Wild. He missed Saturday’s game against the Anaheim Ducks with a lower-body injury and will not play again on Sunday.
Wild head coach John Hynes said after the game that Tarasenko’s status will be day-to-day.