NFL punishes Dak Prescott crediting fans for throwing trash at refs

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott received a fine by the NFL for commending fans for throwing garbage at referees.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott made some news following the team’s 23-17 Wild Card Round loss to the San Francisco 49ers. After the game ended when Prescott failed to spike the ball in time after a run up the middle, fans at AT&T Stadium threw garbage on the field in the direction of the referees. In his postgame press conference, Prescott gave credit to the fans for directing the debris at the on-field officials.

Prescott did apologize for his comments earlier in the week. But on Thursday, the NFL sent the Cowboys quarterback a $25,000 fine for commending the fans for their actions, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero.

Cowboys: NFL fines Dak Prescott for referee comments

During the press conference, Prescott condemned fans for throwing garbage at the players. But when he was informed that they were aiming for referees, Prescott then changed his tone, saying “credit to them then.”

The comments made by Prescott circulated across social media. Prior to his apology, the NBA Referee’s Association released a statement, where they encouraged the NFL to take action against him for his comments.

In the game itself, the Cowboys had the chance to win the game in the closing seconds with a touchdown. With no timeouts at their disposal, Prescott ran up the gut to set Dallas up near the red zone. The thing is, Prescott handed the ball off to his offensive lineman as they tried to set it at the line of scrimmage. But, the referee needs to spot it first before the offense can move forward with the play.

By the time Prescott spiked the ball, the game clock expired, handing the Cowboys the loss and an early elimination in the playoffs.

The Cowboys were penalized 14 times in the game for 98 yards. The 49ers received nine penalties for 58 yards.

Prescott issued his apology for his comments regarding fans throwing trash at referees, and now he has been handed his punishment by the league.