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Alaina Getzenberg, ESPN
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Bills defensive end Shaq Lawson shared his side of events and apologized after a video was shared on social media of him and other Buffalo defensive linemen confronting fans during a 37-34 overtime loss at the Eagles.
“Those of you who know me know that I’m all about the fans, and I have a lot of respect for the game I play and my opponents,” Lawson wrote on Instagram on Monday. “Before the game started yesterday, there was a fan behind our bench, who was making life threatening remarks towards us and our families. We asked Philadelphia security to remove the fan, but he was allowed to stay for the entire game. Eventually, our emotions boiled over, and I made a mistake. For that, I apologize, but there are certain lines that should not be crossed.”
Lawson’s Instagram account is set to private.
“Yeah, obviously a very unfortunate situation,” Bills coach Sean McDermott said at his weekly news conference Monday. “… It’s unfortunate that that would go on during a game in particular. And what I’m aware of is that people were asked to have the fan removed and nothing was done. So, at the end of the day, that’s not for us to concern ourselves with at this point. It’s just unfortunate overall that that would be taking place during a game.”
The video shows defensive tackle Jordan Phillips initially going up to a fan in the front row at Lincoln Financial Field behind the team’s bench with Lawson and other defensive linemen following him. Phillips exchanged some words with the fan and got close to him and then Lawson appeared to briefly shove a fan.
Lawson then turned away from the situation soon after, with the other Bills players quickly following suit. Veteran defensive end Leonard Floyd helped to move Phillips and others away as words appeared to continue to be exchanged and fans in the stands gestured in the players’ direction.
“I love the crowd I love rowdy fans it makes the game fun,” Phillips wrote on Instagram on Monday. “But one thing I’m not going to tolerate is someone threatening me or my family. This is a line that shouldn’t be crossed.”
