Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson shoved a fan who had slapped him and teammate DeAndre Hopkins on their helmets while they celebrated the wide receiver’s third-quarter touchdown during the Buffalo Bills’ 41-40 victory on Sunday night in Orchard Park, N.Y.
Hopkins, Jackson and teammates were in the end zone and near the front row of Highmark Stadium when the fan, wearing a red Bills jersey, hit Hopkins and then Jackson on the top of their helmets.
Jackson used both hands to push the fan, who fell backward. The fan was ejected from the game, which was the season opener for both teams.
“I seen him slap D-Hop …. and then he slapped me,” Jackson, 28, said at the post-game press conference. “He’s talking, so I just forgot where I was for a little bit. You got to think in those situations, we got security out there, let security handle it. I let my emotion get the best of me. Hopefully, it won’t happen again. I’ll learn from that.”
Hopkins’ TD put the Ravens ahead 34-19 with 1:09 left in the third quarter, but they wasted a 40-25 fourth-quarter advantage and Buffalo kicker Matt Prater made a 32-yard field goal as time expired.
“I’ve never seen our fans do that,” Jackson said of the helmet slapping. “So, I’ll probably do it again when we score a touchdown. It’s not nothing against the fans. I’m just celebrating when my teammates get a touchdown.”
Jackson was 14-for-19 passing for 209 yards and two touchdowns, including the 20-yarder to Hopkins. Jackson had six carries for 70 yards, including a 10-yard TD.
A three-time first-team All-Pro and a four-time Pro Bowl honoree, Jackson was the NFL MVP in 2019 and 2023.
