The NFL has fined Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones $250,000 for making an obscene gesture during his team’s Sunday win over the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. The fine, reported by NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero on Tuesday (October 7), followed a viral clip that captured Jones leaning over from his suite, pointing at fans and flashing his middle finger during a heated celebration.
“Send that 250k my way he gave me the finger and it traumatized me very badly,” one fan on X cheekily wrote, referencing the viral moment that has kept social media in a frenzy.
Send that 250k my way he gave me the finger and it traumatized me very badly
— Hana 🏀 (@HanaHoops) October 7, 2025
Jerry Jones Fined $250K for Sideline Gesture Meant for Cowboys Fans
According to Pelissero, the league viewed the gesture as violating its conduct policy for team executives, which mandates professional behavior toward fans and officials. The $250,000 penalty, equal to what the late Titans owner Bud Adams paid in 2009 for a similar incident, underscores the NFL’s consistency in disciplining ownership conduct. Jones, 82, is expected to appeal the fine before the league’s Friday deadline.
Jones addressed the controversy on Tuesday during his weekly appearance on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas. He apologized and claimed the gesture was purely accidental, meant to display excitement toward Cowboys supporters.
“That was unfortunate. That was kind of an exchange with our fans out in front of us,” Jones said. “There was a swarm of Cowboys fans out in front—not Jets fans, Cowboys fans… I just put up the wrong show on the hand.”
He elaborated that the act followed Dallas’s final touchdown, insisting it was “thumbs up” energy gone wrong. Despite his clarification, the NFL disciplinary office found the act inappropriate for a team owner representing the league brand.
Jones isn’t the first owner to face such scrutiny. Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper was fined $300,000 in 2023 for throwing a drink toward fans, while Bud Adams’ 2009 double middle finger in Buffalo remains an infamous moment in owner history.
Fans Debate Jerry Jones’ Gesture and NFL Overreaction
Jones’ gesture and the ensuing fine quickly ignited fan debates online, ranging from disbelief to humor. Many saw it as an overreaction by the NFL.
“$250k is robbery,” one user wrote.
Another added, “NFL trying to collect money from Jerry Jones.”
Some fans came to Jones’ defense, saying his enthusiasm was genuine. “Hard to hate Jerry, man,” one post read.
Others, however, questioned whether Jones’ public presence remains beneficial at his age. “I ain’t tryna be ageist but sometimes God gives you signs to call it quits…” another user commented.
The incident also drew humor from casual viewers. “Hate when I accidentally flip someone off. Happens all the time smh,” a fan joked.
While Jones’ fine makes headlines, the real story is the public fascination with every move of one of football’s most polarizing owners, whose excitement, intentional or not, continues to turn simple gestures into national debates.
