Former Hawkeye Josey Jewell will have to put his guns away on Christmas Eve

As we sip on hot cocoa on Christmas Eve night and gather round the colorful seasonal lights of our televisions, we probably will be denied something that would enhance our enjoyment of the occasion.

That is, of course, Josey Jewell’s pretend gun play.

Jewell’s Denver Broncos host the New England Patriots in the NFL’s Christmas Eve night game. There was a time in American history when sports dared not intrude on Christmas Eve, but our religions now share the night.

Jewell is the former Iowa star linebacker who is in his sixth season with the Denver Broncos. Six years in that league is a longer-than-average career. Jewell has come a long way from Decorah.

Rookie tight end Sam LaPorta of Iowa got Jewell to whiff on him as LaPorta scored one of his three touchdowns for the Detroit Lions last Saturday in their 42-17 win over the Broncos. LaPorta was named NFL Rookie of the Week for his performance.

The guy has 71 catches for 758 yards and nine touchdowns. Pretty good for the 34th pick in the 2023 NFL draft. LaPorta jumped on the fast track to the Pro Football Hall of Fame moments after landing in Detroit after the draft.

Jewell, meanwhile, has faced another recent indignity. He was fined $13,659 by the NFL for celebrating a Dec. 10 sack against the Los Angeles Chargers by doing a celebratory finger-pointing shooting gesture.

Jewell said Monday that he was under the impression what he did was permitted by the league.

He had been fined that same $13,659 amount for a similar act in an Oct. 29 game against Kansas City. That fine was rescinded on appeal. So he brought out the pretend pistol again after he sacked Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert.

“Our understanding from the first time we got fined was that was totally fine after they (the NFL) reviewed it, after we talked to them, after I told them my background, my history of growing up,’’ Jewell said.

“Guns aren’t always violent. People use them for multiple different things and shooting trap and stuff like that, and clay pigeons.”

He has appealed the latest fine and awaits a decision. The NFL told him he “displayed an act of violence.”

If there’s anything the NFL can’t abide, it’s violence.

“Then there shouldn’t be a cannon in Tampa, there shouldn’t be Minutemen in New England, and there shouldn’t be flyovers with killing machines such as bombers and jets,’’ said Jewell’s agent, Jack Bechta.

Football does love its flyovers, doesn’t it? Remember the one at Kinnick Stadium in 2010 that was ridiculously low? I do. I was in the press box. The jets flew at an altitude 16 feet above it.

A little lower, and it would have been the Iowa story of the year. I probably wouldn’t have been able to write it, but it would have been a hell of a way to go out.

Anyway, if Jewell spends his Christmas Eve dropping Patriots quarterback Bailey Zappe, he’ll probably celebrate doing something other than being a mime who is shooting, uh, clay pigeons. Maybe he can pretend he’s opening a present.

The kids will love it.

Or would love it, if they had any interest watching the 7-7 Broncos play the 3-11 Patriots instead of opening their own gifts.

Comments: (319) 398-8440; mike.hlas@thegazette.com