After the altercation with a Buffalo Bills fan during Sunday night’s game against the Baltimore Ravens, star quarterback Lamar Jackson apologized on Wednesday for shoving the spectator but also delivered a direct reminder about behavior in the stands.
“Just chill next time,” Jackson said. “You can talk trash and stuff, but keep your hands to yourself,” he added after practice.
The incident took place in the third quarter of the Ravens’ 41-40 loss at Highmark Stadium. After throwing a 29-yard touchdown pass to DeAndre Hopkins, Jackson celebrated with teammates near the end zone. A fan in a red Bills jersey reached out and slapped Hopkins’ helmet before doing the same to Jackson. The quarterback responded with a two-handed shove that knocked the fan backward.
“It just happened. I got pushed, and I was like, what? I wasn’t even thinking about being out there on the field. My apologies to him,” Jackson explained.
The fan was immediately ejected from the stadium and later received an indefinite ban, according to a team official. The league has not publicly announced whether Jackson will face any discipline. The quarterback said he has not been contacted by NFL officials about possible consequences. Head coach John Harbaugh added that the matter has been handled internally and he does not expect further repercussions.
Less than 10 minutes later, running back Derrick Henry was nearly struck by a frozen water bottle after scoring a 29-yard touchdown. Jackson expressed his frustration over the incident and the conduct of some fans.
“Stuff like that shouldn't be happening. It's not WWE. We're playing football out here.” Jackson said, according to ESPN.
Lamar Jackson apologizes to Bills fan suspended by NFL: ‘Just chill next time’
On the bottle throwing: "It's not WWE."https://t.co/xcoUDgThgB— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) September 10, 2025
Following the events, Jackson had extended conversations with general manager Eric DeCosta and also spoke with Harbaugh. The coach emphasized that the quarterback understands the seriousness of the situation and that things are in a good place between all parties.
“As far as I can tell, we're at a real good spot with that,” Harbaugh said.
Although Jackson reiterated his apology, he once again stressed his message for fans. He asked that the focus remain on the game, noting that trash talk is part of football, but physical contact and dangerous objects should never cross the line.
“I’ve never seen any of our fans do that to an opposing team,” Jackson said. “Just keep it football.”
