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Seattle Seahawks defensive lineman Quinton Jefferson attempted to climb into the stands after a fan threw a drink in his direction late in Sunday’s 30-24 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
After being ejected late in the fourth quarter after a heated confrontation with the Jaguars, Jefferson was jogging toward the tunnel that leads to the visiting locker room at EverBank Field when video footage showed something fly just over his head. Jefferson took off his helmet and walked toward the stands as sideline staff attempted to restrain him.
"I'm not going to let somebody disrespect me, throw a beer on me," Jefferson said. "Just because I'm playing football, I'm still a human being. I'm still a man."
After what appeared to be a sports drink was thrown in his direction, Jefferson broke away and attempted to scale a short wall to get into the seating area before he was pulled away.
“I don’t even know what happened," Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said of Jefferson. "He just kind of lost it.
“Somebody poured a beer on his head as he was walking out of the stadium. I told him that’s pro football. They pay to get in. They can do whatever they want, I guess.”
A Jaguars spokeswoman told USA TODAY Sports the team will look into the fan or fans involved in the incident. Fans are subject to a code of conduct and tickets can be revoked for violations.
An NFL spokesman told USA TODAY Sports that “everything will be reviewed” regarding the incident. That includes the on-field scrums between players and the actions of Jefferson and Jaguars fans.
The closing minute of the game included the ejection of Seattle defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson, who threw a punch at Jacksonville running back Leonard Fournette. Fournette and Seahawks lineman Michael Bennett — who instigated the the scuffle by colliding into the Jaguars line as quarterback Blake Bortles knelt to run out the clock — each received unsportsmanlike conduct penalties.
Jefferson was ejected a play later.
“They're not used to losing,” Jaguars defensive tackle Malik Jackson told USA TODAY Sports. “Their coach probably told them that we aren't (expletive), told them we can't beat them. We went out there smacked them in the mouth and they don't know how to act.”
Contributing: Lindsay H. Jones
