The NFL announced on Thursday afternoon a final decision on punishment for Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson.
Jackson, a two-time NFL MVP, shoved a Buffalo Bills fan in the third quarter of Sunday night’s Week 1 loss. The Ravens quarterback threw a touchdown pass down the right sideline to wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins. Jackson, Hopkins and other members of the Ravens celebrated the touchdown near the first row of Highmark Stadium. A fan wearing a red Bills jersey smacked both Hopkins and Jackson in the helmets. Jackson responded by shoving the fan with two hands.
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The Bills fan was ejected from the stadium and has since been indefinitely banned from all NFL events by the league. But will the Baltimore Ravens quarterback be punished for his shove of a fan?
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson gets ready to take the field during the second half of their game against the Baltimore Ravens at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park on Sept. 7, 2025.© Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Ravens announced on Thursday afternoon that they will be handling the matter internally with Jackson.
“Our player’s safety is of the utmost importance,” said a Ravens official to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. “We have spoken to Lamar, who understands the impact of the situation, about the incident.
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“While we will keep internal matters private, we have implemented additional security protocols – both at home and on the road – to better protect our players and handle negative fan interactions moving forward.”
NFL finalizes punishment decision
The NFL, meanwhile, will not be punishing Jackson for his shove of a Buffalo Bills fan. The NFL will typically fine or suspend players for making contact with fans, but in this case, the league felt that it was not worthy of a punishment.
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“The matter has been addressed by the club and there is no further action from the league,” per NFL official Brian McCarthy.
Lamar Jackson apologized for the fan incident
Jackson, a first round pick out of Louisville, apologized for the incident. He said he likes interacting with fans, even with trash talk, but things should not be taken to a physical point.
“Just chill next time,” Jackson said after Wednesday’s practice, via ESPN. “You can talk trash and stuff but keep your hands to yourself.”
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Jackson said that it all happened in a blur.
“It just happened,” Jackson said Wednesday, via ESPN. “I got pushed. I’m like, what? I wasn’t even thinking about me being out there on the field. My apologies to him.”
The Ravens will return to the field on Sunday, Sept. 14 against the Browns. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. E.T.
This story was originally reported by The Spun on Sep 11, 2025, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add The Spun as a Preferred Source by clicking here.