Jerry Jones, Cowboys Owner, Fined for Obscene Gesture
FRISCO, Texas – Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones has been fined $250,000 by the NFL for an “inadvertent” obscene gesture directed at fans at MetLife Stadium last Sunday. The Cowboys could appeal the decision, but they have until Friday to make a final decision. Videos on social media showed Jones quickly making an obscene gesture with his middle finger at the end of the Cowboys’ 37-22 victory over the New York Jets, after Dak Prescott’s fourth touchdown pass increased the lead to 37-14.Jones also explained that the gesture was “unintentional”. “[The gesture] was inadvertent on my part because it was right after we scored our last touchdown, and we were all excited about it. There was no antagonistic issue or anything like that. I just made the wrong hand signal. That was done inadvertently. I’m not kidding. If you want to call it accidental, you can call it accidental. But it was corrected pretty quickly. I had the opportunity to see it. It was corrected pretty quickly, but the intention was ‘thumbs up’, and basically pointing to our fans because everyone was jumping for joy,” added Jones. This is not the first time the NFL has fined an owner for a bad interaction with fans. Last year, Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper was fined $300,000 for “unacceptable conduct” after he was seen on video throwing a drink in the direction of Jacksonville Jaguars fans. In 2009, the then-owner of the Tennessee Titans, Bud Adams, was fined $250,000 for conduct detrimental to the league after making an obscene gesture while celebrating a victory against the Buffalo Bills.“That was unfortunate. It was kind of an exchange with our fans in front of us,” Jones said Tuesday on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas. “There was a crowd of Cowboys fans in front, not Jets fans, Cowboys fans. The whole stadium was filled with enthusiasm for the Cowboys, and certainly at the end of the game.”
Jerry Jones
