There are some football teams that handle defeat well, then there’s the Seattle Seahawks. Trouble started brewing when Jacksonville went into victory formation, prior to the conclusion of their 30-24 win over Seattle.
Seahawks defensive linemen continued rushing at full-speed despite the Jaguars attempts to kneel the ball.
According to ESPN, “After the first play, Seahawks defensive Michael Bennett and Jaguars center Brandon Linder wrestled each other on the ground. Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette shoved Bennett during the ensuing melee. Those two were also flagged for unnecessary roughness while Seattle’s Sheldon Richardson was ejected for throwing a punch.”
Seahawks defender Quinton Jefferson got ejected on the next play. Even Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for running out to midfield to break-up a second fight, an altercation which earned Seattle’s Michael Bennett an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
As Jefferson ran off the field following his ejection, a fan threw a drink at him. Jefferson then stopped, and began arguing with Jaguars fans in the stands. Shortly after that, another drink was thrown at Jefferson, this time the bottle passed very close to his head.
That’s when Jefferson tried to climb into the stands, to get after the fans:
Jefferson explained what happened in a post-game interview:
Folks in the stands was throwing beer and throwing soda, whatever. I mean, I don’t know what I’m supposed to do. 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.
Just because I’m playing football, I’m still a human being. I’m still a man. I’m out there playing a game and at the end of the day, it’s a game and I’m a man. I’m not going to let somebody disrespect me like that.
When asked if he felt it was the right call to try to go after fans in the stands, Jefferson said: “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.”
Michael Bennett cut-off Jefferson’s interview and said, “The man was disrespected. People threw food on him. He’s not an animal, he’s a human being, so get out of here. How would you like it if one of your kids was playing sports and somebody threw beer on him? Exactly, so don’t come in with that sh*t then.”
According to ESPN, Seahawks defensive lineman Jarran Reed tweeted that someone called Jefferson the n-word while he was on the sideline.
The ejections of Jefferson and Richardson brought the NFL’s total to 15 in 2017, the highest total for a single season since at least 2001. of Jefferson and Richardson brought the NFL’s total to 15 in 2017, the highest total for a single season since at least 2001.