In the second quarter of the Miami Dolphins’ 42-21 victory over the Carolina Panthers on Oct. 15, Tyreek Hill caught a 41-yard touchdown pass, which he celebrated by grabbing a phone from a content creator on the sidelines before filming himself with it while performing a backflip.
https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1713621009738432993
Hill was penalized for the celebration, but it was hardly memorable — especially compared to the All-Pro receiver’s new habit of handing the ball to family members in the crowd after touchdowns.
More than a month later, however, Hill’s backflip is one again receiving attention after the photographer he took the phone from revealed that he has had his credential revoked as a result of the celebration. In a video posted to X (formerly Twitter), 20-year-old Kevin Fitzgibbons detailed how he went from filming his high school’s basketball games to working with several NFL stars and was eventually hired by the league to work every Dolphins home game.
While Fitzgibbons — known as “KFitz” — referred to the 2022 season as “one of the greatest years of my life,” he said his credential was suspended as a result of his reaction to Hill’s celebration. After the speedy wide receiver took Fitzgibbons’ phone from him, the University of Miami student proceeded to mimic taking pictures of Hill before excitedly jumping away. Fitzgibbons said his credential has been revoked for the remainder of the 2023 season and possibly for good.
“One of the best moments of my life turned upside down in a matter of seconds,” Fitzgibbons said.
Fitzgibbons ended the video by expressing gratitude for the opportunity and hope that he’ll be able to continue working in sports, whether it’s with the NFL or somewhere else.
The journey continues… pic.twitter.com/QsrXjI0eeE
— kfitz (@kfitzsports) November 29, 2023
Hill reposted Fitzgibbons’ video, writing, “I would comment but I could get fined.”
https://twitter.com/cheetah/status/1729871047720308956
While Fitzgibbons’ reaction to the celebration might not have exuded professionalism, it also appears to have been a spontaneous act on Hill’s part. Fitzgibbons said the NFL told him it needed to discipline him for his excited jumping and while that may be the case, revoking his credential through at least the remainder of the season seems extreme.
Ultimately, Fitzgibbons’ reaction to the celebration was harmless and didn’t take away from anybody’s viewing experience or the game itself. Unless there is more to the story, it seems like the NFL could have used whatever violation he committed as a teaching moment for a 20-year-old rather than taking away his credential for an indefinite (or permanent) period of time.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.