Why Camryn Bynum's 'breath of fresh air,' Blue celebration is so important to Colts
Cam Bynum didn't plan his celebration with the team's mascot, an instant hit with the fan base at a key moment.
INDIANAPOLIS — Colts safety Camryn Bynum got up and bounced toward the end zone, pointed at Blue, tucked the football under his jersey at the belly and then tapped Blue to get the mascot’s attention.
Bynum’s latest celebration was simple, an homage to Blue’s signature pelvic thrust that both served as a love letter to his new home and sent Lucas Oil Stadium into a frenzy.
The Colts defense desperately needed someone to make a play Sunday, something to change the momentum on a day the defense spent mostly chasing Denver’s offense in vain.
Bynum was the perfect person to make the play.
Not just because of the pick, a diving grab to end a Broncos drive that was already in field goal range, but because of what came after.
“He’s been a breath of fresh air,” cornerback Kenny Moore II said. “He’s been comic relief, he’s always had the room high. It’s hard to be like that, especially in the secondary, where a lot of things are getting thrown your way.”
Keeping spirits high was tough on Sunday.
Denver quarterback Bo Nix spent most of the first three quarters torching a Colts defense playing without No. 1 cornerback Charvarius Ward and edge rusher Laiatu Latu. The Broncos scored touchdowns on four of their first six possessions, outpacing an Indianapolis offense that moved the ball up and down the field but settled for field goals too many times.
Veteran cornerback Xavien Howard struggled, the pass rush provided little to no pressure and Indianapolis struggled at times against the run for the second consecutive week.
“We were on defense saying ‘We’ve just got to make one play,’” middle linebacker Zaire Franklin said. “When that fourth quarter hit, I was telling them guys ‘That fourth-quarter turnover’s going to hit even better.’”
Indianapolis desperately needed somebody to prove Franklin right.
Somebody like Bynum.
Bynum was signed to a four-year, $60 million deal in free agency this offseason to be Lou Anarumo’s angel of death at the back of the defense, hovering over the top to take away the deep ball and prey on quarterback’s misses.
Bynum can do more than that — the Colts deployed him as a hybrid nickel/strong safety in a dime look Sunday that featured three safeties — but the veteran free safety has now made two plays in two weeks while roaming deep. Nix held the ball a little too long on the play, allowing nose tackle Grover Stewart to push the pocket into his face, and the Broncos quarterback let it fly.
“I just missed,” Nix said after the game.
Bynum capitalized, rolled and headed for the end zone, anticipation building as the stadium realized who had the ball.
“No matter what, if you make a play, you have to celebrate,” Bynum said. “I believe in, it’s so hard to win games in the NFL, it’s hard to make plays. … It’s cool to be able to celebrate when you do something well. I think it’s contagious. The whole stadium was turned up after that.”
Camryn Bynum x @blue
The crossover you never knew you needed ???? pic.twitter.com/wXi7W25Gy6— NFL UK & Ireland (@NFLUKIRE) September 14, 2025
Bynum’s decision to involve the team’s beloved mascot probably helped. Known for planned choreography and elaborate dances during his time in Minnesota, Bynum’s first two celebrations in Indianapolis have been spur of the moment.
Blue had no idea.
“There is no preparation for that,” Bynum said. “That’s just one of the things I had in the back of my mind, if Blue is near me, I’m going to do that.”
Former Vikings teammate Mekhi Blackmon joined in the fun, then Moore took a spot next to Bynum and Blue and started pumping his hips, too.
“I’m glad they didn’t throw a flag,” Bynum said. “I thought a certain amount of pumps would get me flagged.”
Bynum was referencing a famous “Key and Peele” sketch, where Keegan Michael-Key’s Hingle McCringleberry keeps getting flagged for pumping his hips three times instead of two.
Apparently, celebrating with the mascot gives a player unlimited pumps.
Or maybe it’s just Bynum, whose personality is infectious. Facing a short field on the next series, the Indianapolis defense came up with another stop, a missed field goal aided by some boneheaded penalties by Denver’s offense.
“We started to dig our cleats in the ground and find ways to make stops,” defensive tackle DeForest Buckner said. “That's one of the main reasons why we brought him here – to make big plays.”
And to bring joy.
Joel A. Erickson covers the Colts all season. Get more coverage on IndyStarTV and with the Colts Insider newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Cam Bynum celebrations: How he came up with the celebration with Blue
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