Be like Myles: 5 celebrations NFL teams should copy from their local NBA stars

Myles Garrett’s J.R. Smith-inspired celebration should be a model for all NFL teams.

In the midst of Sunday’s regularly scheduled NFL action, Myles Garrett, a rookie defensive end for the Cleveland Browns, celebrated his second career sack with a homage to a Cleveland fan favorite from another sport: J.R. Smith. Specifically, he did a celebration for which the Cavaliers player and all-NBA delight is quite well-known. When asked, Garrett confirmed J.R. was the inspiration for the wind-up and said that he hopes to meet him someday (!). The two later exchanged retweets, as you do.

It was a wonderful moment of cross-sport reference and as the NFL becomes more and more comfortable with players expressing themselves and celebrating the accomplishments that we the fans are recklessly celebrating ourselves, the players would do well to look to the NBA for inspiration.

And so start things off, we’ve paired five NFL teams with five local (kind of) NBA stars and their noted celebrations.

Unfortunately, LeBron James and his repertoire of wonderful moves (the chalk; the pump) are eliminated from contention, on account of the fact Garrett has already nominated J.R. as Cleveland’s inspo and also the fact James’ celebrations are already well-replicated in the NFL. Russell Westbrook’s excellent finger-gun-holstering and Carmelo Anthony’s three-to-the-head are also ineligible, on account of the entire state of Oklahoma not having a professional football team.

Philadelphia Eagles / Allen Iverson Step Over

The Eagles play in Philadelphia and it was in a Philadelphia jersey that Allen Iverson stepped all the way over one Tyronn Lue. Such a step over would make a truly beautiful NFL celebration. One that, in theory, would be wildly easy to incorporate into a game, given the fact that NFL players are so frequently laid out after plays. One would, in theory, need merely to be the first on your feet after tackling and/or sacking your man, nimbly stepping over him with a high knee.

However, the Eagles have the second-to-lowest number of tackles in the league thus far, making it extremely unlikely we will get to see this local NBA homage in the near future.