The Seattle Seahawks-Jacksonville Jaguars game ended up turning ugly after a scuffle on the field and then almost another off the field between a player and a fan in the stands.
Seahawks defensive tackle Quinton Jefferson was ejected for fighting on the field, but as he made his way into the tunnel, he turned back around to argue with fans who were taunting him in the stand.
Just as Jefferson got close enough, someone threw a drink over him which set him off and he attempted to climb up into the stands.
Defensive End Quinton Jefferson of the Seattle Seahawks confronted a group of Jaguars fans after he was nearly hit by flying objects thrown from the stands
Jefferson had to be restrained by Seahawks staff and ushered into the locker room in the last few seconds of the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Field on Sunday
Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Quinton Jefferson, center, tried to climb up in the stands after Jacksonville Jaguars fans threw objects at him at the end of an NFL football game
A Seattle Seahawks staff member tries to remove Seahawks defensive tackle Quinton Jefferson, left, from the field as an object thrown from the stands hits them
Quinton Jefferson was headed to the locker room when he stopped by several screaming Jaguar fans
Quinton Jefferson got ejected from the field, but on the way out of the stadium, began jawing with Jacksonville fans
Jefferson then had to be restrained from running into the stands and will likely be hearing from the league
Jefferson then attempted to scale seven feet into the seating area to fight the fans but he was stopped by security before things got out of hand.
‘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.’
Asked if he felt it was right to attempt to go into the stands, Jefferson responded: ‘I don’t know. Was it the right call for him to throw beer on me? I’m just wondering if it was the right call for him to throw a beer on me. Just saying.’
‘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.’
Jefferson attempted to get into the stands, but was stopped by security, and the fact that the seats were seven feet up
It took several members of the security staff to restrain Jefferson as he tried to climb up
Jefferson had to be restrained by Seahawks staff and ushered into the locker room in the last few seconds of the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Field
Jefferson took off his helmet and walked toward the stands as sideline staff attempted to restrain him
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.
Although nothing official had been said as of Sunday night, Jefferson will likely hear from the league over the incident and will likely face suspension for attempting to climb into the stands.
Similarly, the fans who were caught on camera throwing objects at the players could also be banned from the stadiums if they are identified and caught.
Fans are subject to a code of conduct and tickets can be revoked for violations.
‘Folks in the stands was throwing beer and throwing soda, whatever. I mean, I don’t know what I’m supposed to do,’ said Jefferson, a second-year player
‘I’m a human just like anybody else. I’m a man just like the other man in the stands. I’m not going to let somebody disrespect me, throw a beer on me,’ Jefferson said later on