NFL, NFLPA Investigating Panthers Fan Who Dumped Drink On Bengals RB Chase Brown

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Following Sunday's loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, some loser Carolina Panthers fan decided to pour a drink all over Bengals running back Chase Brown as he headed toward his team's locker room. 

Generally, I don't like to name-call people, but dumping a drink on an NFL player because he played well against the home team is loser behavior. There's no other way to say it. 

And, not that this even matters, but it's not as if Brown antagonized Panthers fans on his way off the field, either. Brown was simply walking into the tunnel when the liquid came splashing down all over him. 

To his credit, Brown didn't even react and just continued his way towards the visitor's locker room.

"I was walking in [and] I felt the liquid or whatever, and then when I saw the video back, I'm like, 'Damn, that's really what happened,'" Brown said after the game, according to ESPN. 

"Please don't pour drinks on us," Brown added. "I mean, nobody wants that."

Truly a classy response to a very classless situation. 

Well, the NFL and NFLPA are now investigating the incident, according to CBS Sports. The first step is to identify the offender and then take it from there. 

The NFL and NFL Players Association are trying to identify the Carolina Panthers fan who dumped a drink on Cincinnati Bengals RB Chase Brown after Sunday's game at Bank of America Stadium.

The NFL and NFL Players Association are trying to identify the Carolina Panthers fan who dumped a drink on Cincinnati Bengals RB Chase Brown after Sunday's game at Bank of America Stadium. 

(Getty Images)

Punishments in these situations can be as harsh as lifetime banishment from NFL stadiums. Plus, the league could choose to get the police involved, and the fan could be charged criminally. 

What's interesting about this is that it was a Carolina Panthers fan. 

That's fascinating because the owner of the Panthers, David Tepper, threw a drink on a Jacksonville Jaguars fan after a loss last season. That drink toss ended up costing Tepper $300,000 by way of a fine from the league, which noted that "All NFL personnel are expected to conduct themselves at all times in ways that respect our fans and favorably reflect on their team and the NFL."

If the owner of the team is throwing drinks at people, why wouldn't the fans do it, too? 

If they ultimately identify the fan, how can the team justify banning him or her from the stadium where the team's owner exhibits the exact same behavior? 

Class starts at the top and, unfortunately, Tepper is not exactly a great example-setter at the top of his organization. 

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Dan began his sports media career at ESPN, where he survived for nearly a decade. Once the Stockholm Syndrome cleared, he made his way to OutKick. He is secure enough in his masculinity to admit he is a cat-enthusiast with three cats, one of which is named "Brady" because his wife wishes she were married to Tom instead of him.