Jerry Jones fined $250,000 by NFL for obscene gesture toward spectators

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was fined $250,000 by the National Football League after video circulated showing him making what appeared to be an obscene hand gesture toward spectators late in the Cowboys 37-22 victory over the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on Sunday. Jones told a Dallas sports radio station on Tuesday that the motion was inadvertent and that he intended to give a thumbs up to nearby Cowboys supporters after a late touchdown.

Multiple clips captured Jones in his suite smiling, pointing and briefly raising his middle finger before correcting his hand. Jones said on 105.3 The Fan that the exchange was with Cowboys fans seated in front of his suite and not with Jets supporters. "That was unfortunate," he said. "I put up the wrong show of my hand. The intention was thumbs up, and basically pointing at our fans because everybody was jumping up and down and excited."

The league notified Jones of the fine on Tuesday for conduct detrimental to the league. Under NFL procedure, the owner has the option to appeal, and initial reports differed about whether Jones would pursue that route. Some accounts indicated he might appeal; others said he had decided not to and...