NFL commish fines Titans owner $250K for gesture
Last Updated: Monday, November 16, 2009 | 5:44 PM ET
The Associated Press
Bud Adams has been fined after making obscene gestures from his luxury suite during the Titans' win over Buffalo on Sunday. (Mark Humphrey/Associated Press)The NFL has fined Titans owner Bud Adams $250,000 for making an obscene gesture at Buffalo fans while celebrating Tennessee's victory over the Bills.
Commissioner Roger Goodell notified Adams of the fine Monday.
League spokesman Greg Aiello said it is for conduct detrimental to the National Football League. Adams was seen making the gesture while in his luxury suite and again on the field after Sunday's 41-17 victory.
Adams, 86, issued an apology a couple of hours later, saying he got caught up in the excitement.
Goodell was at the game after having breakfast with Adams. The league said that Goodell left Adams's suite at the end of the third quarter and spent the fourth quarter sitting with fans in the end zone before leaving the stadium.
"I do realize that those types of things shouldn't happen," Adams said in a statement. "I need to specifically apologize to the Bills, their fans, our fans and the NFL. I obviously have a great deal of respect for Ralph Wilson and the history we have shared. I also understand there will probably be league discipline for my actions and I will accept those."
Adams and Wilson are original owners from the American Football League, and Sunday's game was a legacy game with both teams wearing throwback uniforms. Wilson was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year, and their teams share a history of emotional playoff games, including the Music City Miracle in January 2000.
Players have been fined by the NFL for making such a gesture. San Francisco kicker Joe Nedney was fined $7,500 US in October 2007, and Michael Vick was fined $10,000 and donated $10,000 to charity in 2006 while playing in Atlanta.
