Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson will not face disciplinary action from the NFL following an incident with a fan during the Ravens’ season opener against the Buffalo Bills on September 10, 2023. A league spokesperson confirmed on Thursday that the situation has been addressed by the Ravens and that no further action will be taken.
According to NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy, “The matter has been addressed by the club and there is no further action from the league.” The incident occurred late in the third quarter of the game, which ended in a dramatic 41-40 loss for Baltimore. Jackson was celebrating a 29-yard touchdown pass to teammate DeAndre Hopkins when a fan in a red Bills jersey struck Hopkins on the helmet and then pushed Jackson. In response, Jackson pushed the fan back, causing him to fall.
The fan was subsequently ejected from Highmark Stadium and has been “indefinitely banned from Bills and NFL stadiums,” as reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Ravens Address Player Safety
Following the altercation, Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta had a detailed conversation with Jackson to discuss the incident and the importance of maintaining player safety. A Ravens official stated, “Our player’s safety is of the utmost importance.” The team has introduced additional security measures for both home and away games to better protect players and manage potentially negative interactions with fans.
Jackson expressed regret over the incident during a media session on Wednesday, urging fans to maintain a level of decorum. “Just chill next time,” he suggested. “You can talk trash and stuff but keep your hands to yourself.” He emphasized that while competitive banter is part of the game, physical contact is unacceptable.
In a related incident, Ravens running back Derrick Henry narrowly avoided being hit by a frozen water bottle thrown from the stands shortly after Jackson’s encounter. Jackson remarked, “Stuff like that shouldn’t be happening. It’s not WWE. We’re playing football out here.” He reiterated the need for fans to keep their actions limited to verbal interactions.
The Ravens organization appears committed to preventing further incidents of this nature, with the implementation of new security protocols aimed at enhancing the safety of players while they are on the field and interacting with fans.
