Houston ? Paul Tagliabue has a powerful message for NFL players when they get to the end zone: Stash that cell phone.

And don’t even think about anything more elaborate to celebrate a touchdown.

The commissioner warned players Friday that harsher discipline for over-the-top demonstrations were on the way.

He said unsportsmanlike conduct would draw stronger penalties and fines, even leaving open the possibility of suspensions.

Coaches and team owners have urged him “to take that stuff out of the game,” he said during his state of the NFL address, held each year prior to the Super Bowl. He said the NFL Players’ Assn. and the league’s competition committee would discuss stronger punishment for stunts such as pulling out a cell phone in the end zone after a touchdown.

The New Orleans Saints’ Joe Horn did exactly that on national television during a Sunday night game; he was fined $30,000.

“Take taunting out of the game, take unsportsmanlike conduct out of the game,” Tagliabue said. “Cell phones, pens, all the other things, penalties likely will escalate if this does not stop.”

Tagliabue said many coaches called him to say they were outraged by these episodes.

“They thought these were way outside the rules and uncalled for and humiliating to their players and embarrassing to players in general,” he said.

Two years ago, San Francisco’s Terrell Owens pulled a pen out of his sock and autographed a football after scoring a touchdown, prompting a warning from Tagliabue to all teams that similar acts would be punished.

“I think it’s absurd,” Washington Redskins linebacker LaVar Arrington said. “It’s entertainment. It’s a sport. This isn’t Desert Storm and it’s not Iraq.

“My father went to Vietnam and gave up both his legs for this country. If someone wants to show off, it’s no big deal to me. That’s a lot bigger deal.”

Panthers running back-kick returner Rod Smart, who made his reputation as He Hate Me in the XFL, also didn’t have a problem with what Horn did. But he doubted anyone would try something similar in the Super Bowl.

“If he did, he’d probably be fined six figures,” Smart said.

On the subject of Maurice Clarett, Tagliabue ruled out a settlement of the Ohio State player’s federal lawsuit challenging the league’s draft rules. A college player must be out of high school three years before he can be eligible for the draft. Clarett played just his freshman year for the Buckeyes and was suspended from the team last season.

The league wants the case thrown out.

“There are no discussions of a settlement,” Tagliabue said. “It’s a pretty direct point in terms of what the rule is and Maurice Clarett’s status falls under the rule.

“Our system is working. It is easy to identify players who were helped by staying in school and were developing their skills.”