They say the NFL is a copycat league.
It's a true sentiment in many fashions: Playcalling, schemes and touchdown celebrations are among those that have traditionally been stolen — especially that last one in 2021.
You may have noticed Justin Jefferson, Ja'Marr Chase, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Adam Thielen, Kirk Cousins and other NFL players break out the "Griddy" this season after scoring a touchdown. The shuffling TD celebration has taken the league by storm, after Vikings wideout Jefferson brought it to the NFL in 2020.
While it was originally an LSU thing, in just a few years, the Griddy has taken the NFL — and the world beyond — by storm.
Who started the Griddy dance?
The Griddy dance was originally invented by Louisiana's Allen Davis, a friend of former LSU wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase, who wanted to create his own rhythmic dance after he was inspired by the Nae Nae craze in the mid 2010s.
Davis created the dance and friend of his posted it on Snapchat, and the following morning, he was inundated by videos of people copying his dance.
Once Chase found himself at LSU, he introduced the dance to teammate Justin Jefferson, and the pair introduced the dance to the rest of LSU's locker room. Jefferson brought the dance to a national stage during his sophomore season in 2019 in a matchup vs. Texas, when he exploded for 163 yards and three touchdowns: After his first TD, Jefferson broke out the griddy for the world to see.
The dance consists of a few simple, easy parts: Tapping your heels together, throwing up your "Bs" — your "big billionare" glasses — and swinging your arms back and forth and side to side in rhythm.
Now, the Griddy has swept the sports world and beyond it, so much so that the popular video game "Fortnite" introduced the dance as one of the game's emotes in 2020.
How to do the Griddy
For your entertainment, here is a step-by-step breakdown to how to do the Griddy:
- Score a touchdown;
- Tap your heels, alternating between left and right foot forward;
- Make an "OK" symbol with your hands, (throw your Bs!), and, while in rhythm (this is likely difficult for some of you), bring them up to your eyes like imaginary goggles;
- Swing your arms back and forth and across;
- Repeat.
The good thing about the Griddy, is that you can freestyle it however you want to. Make your Griddy a deluxe, why don't you.
If these steps aren't helpful, then maybe the official founder of the dance would do you best: