The Cleveland Browns are planning to ban a spectator who threw a bottle water that struck team owner Jimmy Haslam as he exited the field during the team’s 31-30 loss to the New York Jets on Sunday.
Jimmy Haslam via Cleveland Browns YouTube
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero shared footage of the water bottle striking Haslam as he was about to enter the tunnel to exit the field.
Haslam can be seen reacting to the water bottle in shock. However, he appears to quickly identify someone in the stands as he points up to them. He then continues his walk into the tunnel.
The #Browns have identified and plan to ban a fan who threw a bottle that struck owner Jimmy Haslam late in Sunday’s loss to the #Jets, per sources.
Here’s my video of what could’ve been a dangerous situation. The team is cooperating with authorities. https://t.co/a1mvjAkD9e pic.twitter.com/TwuPxr3655
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) September 20, 2022
The Browns also released a statement following the incident indicating they had turned over security footage of the incident to authorities.
The statement reads, “Fan, player and staff safety is the top priority in our building and behavior that puts others in danger will not be tolerated. Luckily no one was harmed in this incident and as a standard practice, we’ve cooperated with law enforcement authorities and security video footage of the object being thrown is in the appropriate hands. We will have no further comment on this matter.”
Tom Pelissero Twitter
The security footage was used to identify the spectator as 51-year-old Jeffrey Miller. According to a police report obtained by TMZ Sports, Miller was tracked down inside the stadium, but when they initially tried to detain him he did not cooperate.
However, they eventually took him to a “police room” in the stadium where officers observed he “appeared to be intoxicated.”
He was booked on three charges: disorderly conduct, failure to comply with a lawful order, and assault.
Cleveland Browns via Cleveland Browns YouTube
As noted in Pelissero’s tweet above, as well as his report for NFL.com, the Browns plan on banning Miller.
He wrote, “The Cleveland Browns have identified and plan to ban a fan who threw a bottle that struck team owner Jimmy Haslam late in Sunday’s 31-30 loss to the New York Jets, per sources.”
Cleveland Browns vs. New York Jets via Cleveland Browns YouTube
If this report is true, it seems clear that Haslam isn’t as big a believer in second chances as he professed when he explained why the Browns signed quarterback Deshaun Watson after he was suspended 11 games and fined $5 million by the NFL.
Following the NFL’s announcement of the punishment, Haslam, his wife Dee, and the Browns’ General Manager Andrew Berry addressed the press. He was specifically asked, “So you have no qualms about making someone of questionable character the face of your franchise? Haslam answered, “I think in this country and hopefully in the world people deserve second chances. I really think that.”
He continued, “I struggle a little bit. Is he never supposed to play again? Is he never supposed to be part of society? Does he get no chance to rehabilitate himself? And that’s what we’re going to do, okay.”
Haslam then said, “And you can say, ‘Well, that’s because he’s a star quarterback. Well, of course, but if he was Joe Smith he wouldn’t be on the headlines every day. So we think people deserve a second chance.”
Dee Haslam, Andrew Berry, and Jimmy Haslam via Cleveland Browns YouTube
To elucidate his point he said, “We gave Kareem Hunt a second chance, okay. And that’s worked out pretty well, okay. We’re hoping this will work out and we have strong belief it will. That doesn’t mean we don’t have empathy for people affected and we will continue to do so.”
“But we strongly believe, strongly believe people deserve a second chance. We believe Deshaun Watson deserves a second chance,” he concluded.
Dee Haslam, Andrew Berry, and Jimmy Haslam via Cleveland Browns YouTube
Watson might be getting his second chance, but apparently Jeffrey Miller won’t be getting his.
What do you make of the Browns’ plans to ban Miller?