Sunday night’s game between the Buffalo Bills and the Baltimore Ravens was an instant classic. The Bills came back from a large deficit and won on a last-second field goal. However, something happened at the end of the drive that cast a shadow on the primetime game.
During the third quarter, after a beautiful pass from Lamar Jackson and a spectacular catch from DeAndre Hopkins, Jackson got into a shoving match with a fan. The fan hit the helmets of both Hopkins and Jackson.
The fan was immediately ejected from the game and has since then been banned from every NFL stadium. This fan was a member of Bills Mafia, who are known for jumping off of cars and onto tables WWE style, and are some of the rowdiest fans in all sports. Going into that environment, one would expect nothing less from a fan who is a part of that culture, right? Lamar admitted in the press conference after the game that he lost his head, but does that excuse him from any consequences for his actions?
Lamar Jackson, during his NFL tenure, has become a superstar who graced the cover of Madden, is a leader of the Ravens and, most importantly, an idol to many kids around the United States. He is held to a higher standard. A standard that the fan does not have to live up to. The NFL has long emphasized protecting its image to the point it was nicknamed the “No Fun League,” and an altercation between an MVP candidate and a fan reflects poorly on the league.
At the time of this writing, Jackson has received no punishment from the NFL, which fined Jalen Carter for spitting on Dak Prescott. While the Carter situation is not identical to Jackson’s, there are similarities. Both Jackson and Carter were taunted into action. Prescott spat in the general direction of Carter, who spat back in his face, causing a brawl. Carter was initially suspended, then the NFL changed it to a fine. So Carter fights another player and gets in trouble, but Jackson fights a fan and nothing happens.
This is a mistake on the NFL’s part if they do not punish him in some way. The NFL has built its image on player conduct by punishing players heavily when it comes to things like performance-enhancing drugs and assault cases. They made it very clear with their punishment that they have a zero tolerance when it comes to their policies on these subjects. The league needs to do something to punish Jackson to firmly reinforce their values.
If Jackson is let off with no punishment, the president says that the NFL is okay with their stars acting like Jackson did on Sunday night. This would also create the idea that the NFL is okay with only punishing those who are not stars. If an upcoming star, Jalen Carter, is getting fined, what happens when a guy just called off the practice squad gets excited and lays a hit deemed excessive on another player? Or what will happen if the same guy fights a fan? What will the NFL do? The door to chaos is slowly opening. Without the action of the NFL, a far worse incident could occur.
What an incredible article. Captivated from start to finish. Good work, Mr Mosley!