Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is a passionate owner. His passion for the game has remained unwavering throughout the years. He made headlines on Sunday, October 5th, not for his team’s big win, but for a gesture.

During Dallas’ 37-22 victory over the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium, Jones was seen on video getting angry at Jets fans from his suite. Multiple clips on social media showed him waving to the crowd, clapping, and then pointing at a fan before showing his middle finger. Some fans say he was reacting to a Jets supporter who had flipped him off first.

“Quit playing with Mr Jerry Jones. Go Cowboys,” former Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant wrote while sharing the video on X. The clip quickly went viral as fans debated whether the 82-year-old owner went too far. Fox News reported that Jones “appeared to give the middle finger to New York Jets fans” while cheering for his team. The NFL and the Cowboys haven’t commented yet, but Jones could face discipline.

The league has punished similar behavior before. Former Titans owner Bud Adams was fined $250,000 in the 2009 season for an obscene gesture, and Panthers owner David Tepper was fined $300,000 in the 2023 season for throwing a drink toward fans.

Back in 2009, former Tennessee Titans owner Bud Adams made headlines for all the wrong reasons and paid a hefty price for it. The NFL fined Adams $250,000 after cameras caught him flashing both middle fingers toward Buffalo Bills fans, first from his suite and later from the field, while celebrating Tennessee’s 41-17 victory. The league cited Adams’ actions as “conduct detrimental to the league,” marking one of the more infamous fines ever handed to a team owner.

In January 2024, Tepper threw a drink at a Jacksonville Jaguars fan from his suite during a 26-0 loss. “Unacceptable” was the league’s term for his behavior, and NFL personnel must act respectfully to fans. The incident happened after a fan appeared to be heckling Tepper. The video showed him throwing his drink toward the fan and then walking away.

Tepper later apologized, saying he should have let stadium security handle it and that he respects the NFL’s rules. The NFL made it clear that no matter how frustrated owners get, they cannot act out against fans.

Similarly, Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis got into a heated argument with fans during the 2023 season. After fans demanded the firing of coach Josh McDaniels because of the team’s bad start, Davis yelled at them, telling them to “smarten up.” These cases show that the NFL takes owners’ behavior toward fans very seriously.

So, while Jones has a good camaraderie with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, he might have to bear the brunt of his actions.

While that drama unfolded off the field, Jones had plenty to celebrate on it. Quarterback Dak Prescott threw four touchdown passes, two to tight end Jake Ferguson, one to WR George Pickens, and one to RB Javonte Williams. Prescott even heard “MVP” chants from the crowd as Dallas cruised past the Jets.

Head coach Brian Schottenheimer praised Prescott, calling him one of the league’s best leaders and teammates. Prescott said the team wanted to bounce back quickly after last week’s loss: “We knew it was important to get that taste out of our mouth and out of our mind.”

The win lifted Dallas to 2-2-1, while the Jets sank to 0-5 under first-year head coach Aaron Glenn, the worst start in franchise history. It was also the Cowboys’ first road win over the Jets since 2003. Still, the question remains. Will Jerry Jones’ middle finger end with a fine, or just another viral moment for the NFL’s most talked-about owner?