The Buffalo Bills engaged in a heated matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 12 of NFL football action. The Bills lost 37-34, and one Eagles fan let the Buffalo players hear his dismay. Shaq Lawson confronted the fan with a shove, but the defensive end later said there was more to the story than routine banter.

Shaw Lawson addresses his actions in the Bills' sideline dispute with a fan in Week 12

Lawson explained the situation involving the Eagles fan with the following statement:

“Those of you who know me know that I'm all about the fans, and I have a lot of respect for the game I play and my opponents. Before the game yesterday, there was a fan behind our bench, who was making life-threatening remarks towards us and our families,” Lawson said, per ESPN.

The veteran tight end continued, “We asked Philadelphia security to remove the fan, but he was allowed to stay for the entire game. Eventually, our emotions boiled over and I made a mistake. For that, I apologize, but there are certain lines that should not be crossed.”

Lawson acknowledges that pushing the fan was not unacceptable, but neither were the fan's threatening remarks.

The situation at Philly's home stadium is a lesson on the topic of fan banter towards professional athletes. Fans must be cognizant of what they say to players during competitions. Threatening a player or his family does align with the spirit of healthy competition.

The interaction between the Philly fan and Shaq Lawson serves as an example to everyone to remain respectful.