The NFL has fined Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones $250,000 for an obscene gesture directed at fans during the team’s Week 5 victory over the New York Jets. 

The incident occurred late in the game at MetLife Stadium when Jones, from his luxury suite, was captured on video pointing toward fans and briefly raising his middle finger.

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The NFL deemed the gesture inappropriate and aligned the fine with past disciplinary actions for similar behavior by team owners. 

Dallas has indicated that an appeal is likely to be filed within the coming days, with the expectation that a decision will be made by Friday, according to the NFL Network.

The Cowboys’ owner apologized for the gesture and said that it was meant for Cowboys fans.

“That was unfortunate. That was kind of an exchange with our fans out in front of us,” Jones explained, per NFL Network. “There was a swarm of Cowboys fans out in front — not Jets fans, Cowboys fans. The entire stadium was brimming with enthusiasm of Cowboys and certainly late in the game.”

Jones further claimed that the gesture was “inadvertent” and that he did not mean to offend anybody by his actions.

“There wasn’t any antagonistic issue or anything like that. I just put up the wrong show on the hand. That was inadvertently done. I’m not kidding. If you want to call it accidental, you can call it accidental. But it got straightened around pretty quick. I had a chance to look at it. It got straightened out pretty quick, but the intention was ‘thumbs up,’ and basically pointing at our fans because everybody was jumping up and down excited,” he added, per NFL Network.

This gesture and subsequent fine now mark the first time that an owner has been fined for actions during a game since Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper was fined $300,000 for pouring drinks on a group of fans during the 2023 season.

Dallas will now look to put this incident behind them as they prepare for another important matchup in Week 6 against the Panthers, with the Cowboys aiming to climb above .500 for the first time this season with a victory.