Commanders' Stefon Diggs on unsportsmanlike penalty: 'I take full accountability'

PHILADELPHIA -- By the time Stefon Diggs hauled in a 10-yard pass from Jayden Daniels and leaped into the end zone at Lincoln Financial Field, Sunday had been a largely frustrating day for the Washington Commanders' offense.

"Finally, we hit one, and I get a little excited," Diggs said of the score that pulled Washington within 17-15 of the Philadelphia Eagles with 9:59 remaining in the game.

Diggs, though, immediately granted the Eagles a gift. He ran through the end zone and bear-hugged the goal post.

A penalty flag flew immediately: unsportsmanlike conduct. Instead of potentially going for a game-tying two-point conversion -- which Washington coach Dan Quinn said he would have attempted -- the Commanders were pushed back 15 yards, and Drew Stevens' extra-point attempt came from 48 yards. (He made it to pull the Commanders within one.)

"Just got to be smarter, you know," Daniels said. "You got to know the situation, situational football. … There's a time and place for everything in celebrations."

After the Eagles scored a touchdown and added an extra point to push their lead back to 8, the Commanders reached the end zone again with about a minute left. A failed two-point try left the Eagles ahead 24-22, which was the final score.

Goal posts have been off-limits for celebrations dating to the days when New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham used to dunk footballs over the crossbar -- right as Diggs was entering the league in 2015. The veteran receiver, who joined the Commanders as a free agent in August, was contrite.

"Of course, I take full accountability," Diggs said. "And I want to win bad, you know -- every little rep, everything. So finally when we clicked after not clicking for a little while, it got to me a little."

Given how NFL players celebrate these days, getting assessed 15 yards for hugging the goal post might seem extreme. Diggs didn't show anybody up, nor did he damage any equipment. Entire defenses sprint the length of the field to mug for the television cameras after turnovers. But Diggs said he knew the rules.

"As soon as I wrapped my arms around it, I was like, 'Oh, I forgot,'" he said. "It's not back in the day. We've been playing for a long time. You used to do that. … That's just telling me I've been in the game a long time. You're like, 'I got to be better.'"

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.