Shaq Lawson has found himself in hot water after appearing to confront a fan in the stands during the Buffalo Bills‘ road game at the Philadelphia Eagles.
The confrontation happened during the Bills’ 37-34 overtime loss, but the result may not be the only issue that Buffalo faces. Lawson may face the wrath of the NFL.
What Was the Incident Involving Shaq Lawson?
A video emerged on Sunday evening that showed Lawson (along with Jordan Phillips and Ed Oliver) involved in an altercation with Eagles fans in the stands. The fans were sitting behind the Bills’ sideline, where the encounter took place.
In the video, Phillips is seen shouting in the face of a fan before Lawson steps in and pushes the fan away.
Fans are heard still shouting obscenities towards the Bills players. Security at Lincoln Financial Field stepped in when things got hostile as Lawson and the Buffalo players withdrew back to the sidelines.
Expect #Bills DE Shaq Lawson to be fined and suspended for striking an #Eagles fan in the stands. https://t.co/mziX6wbamW
— Marcus Hayes (@inkstainedretch)
Lawson and the Bills players seemed unhappy with some language being aimed at them. Buffalo News spoke to Becca Cavalier (the fan who shot the video), who told them, “I’m not sure exactly what happened that led to them all coming over,” she said.
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Phillips and the fan in the video “were chirping at each other a lot the whole game, but [they] couldn’t really hear what was being said.”
Over on his Instagram, Phillips voiced, “I love the crowd I love rowdy fans it makes the game fun. But one thing I’m not going to tolerate is someone threatening me or my family. This is a line that shouldn’t be crossed.”
What Could Lawson’s Punishment Be?
Lawson will likely be hearing from the league offices, as pushing a fan is unlikely to be something that he gets away with.
Marcus Hayes, from the Philadelphia Inquirer, has reported that Lawson could, in fact, be suspended for the incident, saying, “Contacted late Sunday by The Inquirer, an NFL source said that Lawson likely would be fined and probably suspended. Three recent incidents involving players verbally exchanging threats and insults did not result in fines or suspensions, but they didn’t involve any shoving or striking, either.”
If the league does get involved, Lawson’s punishment could be anything from a fine to a potential suspension.
The NFL Operations Code of Conduct states, “rules are intended to protect the players from unnecessary risk, promote player safety and emphasize sportsmanship and respect of teammates, opponents, coaches, officials and fans.”
There are different levels of punishment that the NFL can give, depending on previous offenses and what it deems the severity of the event to be. Back in 2018, Lawson was fined $33,425 for a fight with Leonard Fournette.
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