The NFL fined Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper $300,000 on Tuesday in response to Tepper throwing a drink at fans near the end of the Panthers' 26-0 loss to the Jaguars on Sunday in Jacksonville had thrown.
After the Panthers did not comment on the incident for two days, the team released a three-sentence statement from Tepper on Tuesday night that did not contain an apology.
“I am deeply passionate about this team and regret my behavior on Sunday,” Tepper said in the statement. “I should have assigned NFL stadium security to handle any issues that arose. I respect the NFL Code of Conduct and accept the league’s discipline for my conduct.”
The fine will do little to dent Tepper's fortune, considering it represents significantly less than one percent of his $20.6 billion net worth.
Fans have previously received lifetime stadium bans for throwing drinks at players. Some observers assumed the league could suspend Tepper for at least one game for what the NFL described as “unacceptable behavior.” But that was not the case.
“All NFL employees are expected to conduct themselves at all times in a manner that respects our fans and has a positive impact on their team and the NFL,” the league said in a statement.
A Jaguars fan posted a video Sunday of Tepper throwing the contents of a cup from the visiting owner's suite at EverBank Stadium into the stands. The video shows Tepper alongside general manager Scott Fitterer when the incident occurred after rookie quarterback Bryce Young threw an interception, allowing the Jaguars to play the final three minutes without a break.
It was the first time the Panthers had been shut out since 2002. They finished the game with just 124 net yards and seven first downs, both of which were among the worst single-game totals in franchise history.
It was a tough year for Tepper, who fired head coach Frank Reich in November after just 11 games, the second-shortest tenure in NFL history for a head coach who coached at least one regular-season game.
With another loss Sunday against Tampa Bay, the Panthers (2-14) would finish with the NFL's worst record since the league switched to a 17-game schedule in 2021. In most years, the Panthers would have had at least the No. 1 draft pick as a silver lining, but they traded that pick to the Chicago Bears as part of the package to move up and draft Young with the first overall pick this year.
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(Photo: Bob Donnan / USA Today)