Keegan-Michael Key was a special guest during the Carolina Panthers meeting following running back Rico Dowdle’s celebratory touchdown last week.
During the team meeting, Panthers head coach Dave Canales spoke to his team about Dowdle’s touchdown, which resulted in a fine after the running back referenced a Key & Peele skit. To the team’s surprise the comedian popped up on the screen.
“Let’s get an expert,” Canales told his team. “Can we get Keegan-Michael Key to explain this to us?
“I just want to say I’m very honored that you would choose a Key and Peele sketch for your celebration,” Michael Key said. “The reason I’m here is I wanted to share with you guys, especially with you Rico, is that I’ve done my recent research and apparently, I guess the rules that are made up in a comedy sketch do not necessarily reflect the rules in the NFL.”
Rico was pretty pumped to see him pic.twitter.com/azDvoWgvEr
— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) November 8, 2025
Dowdle made a nod to an infamous Key & Peele skit during the Panthers’ game against the Green Bay Packers. During Dowdle’s touchdown celebration — his second overall for Sunday’s game — the running back referenced Key’s character’s “three-pump” touchdown celebration in the McCringleberry skit. What added to Dowdle’s celebration is that six teammates participated.
The running back was fined for his celebration which ESPN reported came out to $14,491. Dowdle’s agent, David Canter, said they would appeal the fine.
In his comedic fashion Michael Key tried to make sense of the fine to see how much each pump costed him.
“14,000 dollars for two pumps, so that’s seven grand a pump,” Michael Key said. “That means if you do zero pumps, then that would then cost you zero thousand dollars and a fine.”
The comedian reacted to the touchdown celebration last week and noted the running back got “robbed.”
“Rico. Man, you got robbed,” Michael Key said in a video. “You only did two pumps. I’m sorry, man. Now I’m going to have to write a new sketch.”
In addition to the fine, during the game last week, the Panthers also had to pick up a 15-yard penalty. Despite the drama behind the touchdown, the Panthers won 16-13 over the Packers, marking their fifth win of the season.
The Carolina Panthers’ next game will be today at 1 p.m. ET against the New Orleans Saints.
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