Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was recently fined $250,000 for making an obscene gesture. The billionaire businessman went viral on Sunday during the Cowboys’ match against the New York Jets after a video showing him smiling at fans and flashing the gesture was shared online. Jones subsequently addressed the obscene gesture he made, explaining how it happened.
Jerry Jones fined by NFL over viral obscene gesture
Jerry Jones made an obscene gesture during the Dallas Cowboys’ match against the New York Jets. The Cowboys scored a 37-22 victory against the Jets in the game.
Footage of Jones’ gesture was shared on social media. In the video, Jones could be seen doing a thumbs-up before showing the middle finger for a split second and pointing to fans.
After making the gesture, the NFL fined Jones $250,000. According to the NFL, the 82-year-old will likely appeal the fine, which he hasn’t formally done and has until Friday to decide.
Jones explained the incident in an appearance on 105.3 The Fan, stressing it was unintentional.
“That was unfortunate. That was kind of an exchange with our fans out in front of us,” Jones shared. “There was a swarm of Cowboys fans out in front — not Jets fans, Cowboys fans.” He added that the fans created an enthusiastic atmosphere in the stadium late in the game.
Jones clarified that his gesture was “inadvertent,” saying he made it after the Cowboys’ last touchdown, which they were excited about. “There wasn’t any antagonistic issue or anything like that. I just put up the wrong show on the hand,” he further stated. “That was inadvertently done. I’m not kidding. If you want to call it accidental, you can call it accidental.”
He continued, “But it got straightened around pretty quick. I had a chance to look at it. It got straightened out pretty quick, but the intention was ‘thumbs up,’ and basically pointing at our fans because everybody was jumping up and down excited.”
Jones isn’t the first NFL team owner to get fined. He was preceded by Carolina Panthers‘ David Tepper and Tennessee Titans‘ Bud Adams. The former was fined $300,000 in 2023 for throwing a drink at fans in Jacksonville. Meanwhile, the latter was fined $250,000 after making obscene gestures while celebrating a game victory in Buffalo.
