Chase Brown's best day as an NFL player to date did not have the best ending. Brown, the Bengals' second-year running back, was tossing his gloves to fans following the team's 34-24 win over the Panthers when a fan appeared to pour a drink on him as he was headed toward the locker room.
The incident, which is being reviewed by both the NFLPA and the NFL, put a damper on Brown's big day which included a pair of touchdown runs.
"I was walking in [and] I felt the liquid or whatever, and then when I saw the video back, I'm like, 'Damn, that's really what happened,'" Brown said, via ESPN.
A fan in Carolina dumps a drink on Chase Brown after had his first multi-TD game of his career. Uncalled for. #Bengals @WCPO pic.twitter.com/bibdCOa2c0
— Marshall Kramsky (@marshallkramsky) September 29, 2024
Michael Thomas, a player director for the NFLPA, said that the incident was referred to officials within the NFL and NFLPA.
"We'll see if we can identify the person and then we'll go from there," Thomas told ESPN on Monday. "But that should never happen to a player."
Unfortunately for the Panthers, the franchise is becoming synonymous with throwing drinks. In January, Panthers owner David Tepper was fined $300,000 by the NFL after he appeared to throw a drink at a Jaguars' fan during a Week 17 loss.
When it comes to his situation, Brown said he wasn't upset enough at the time to confront the fan. He does, however, hope that he and other players can avoid similar situations moving forward.
"Please don't pour drinks on us," Brown said. "I mean, nobody wants that."
As for the fan that appeared to pour his drink on Brown, they -- like any fan who engages in unruly conduct at games -- is subject to possible punishment, including a potential lifetime ban if they are identified.
