By Jayna Bardahl, Jon Machota and Jeff Howe

The NFL has fined Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones $250,000 for flashing his middle finger to the crowd during Sunday’s game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium, a league source said.

Jones, who will appeal the fine, according to a source, said on his Tuesday radio appearance on 105.3 The Fan that he actually meant to signal a thumbs-up.

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“That was unfortunate,” Jones said on his Tuesday radio appearance on 105.3 The Fan. “There wasn’t any antagonistic issue or anything like that. I just put up the wrong show of my hand. And I’m not kidding you. If you want to call it accidental, you can call it accidental. … But the intention was thumbs-up. And basically pointing at our fans because everybody was jumping up and down and excited.”

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Jones said it was part of an exchange with Cowboys fans, not Jets fans, sitting in front of him.

“The entire stadium was brimming with the enthusiasm of Cowboys, certainly late in the game,” Jones said. “It was right after we made our last touchdown. We were all excited.”

The Cowboys beat the Jets 37-22, scoring their final touchdown off a 4-yard pass from Dak Prescott to Javonte Williams with 4:31 remaining.

The NFL, which did not respond to a request for comment, has a history of frowning on actions like Jones’ middle finger point.

In 2009, former Tennessee Titans owner Bud Adams was fined $250,000 by the league for making an “obscene gesture” toward Buffalo Bills fans. Adams was seen raising his middle fingers toward fans from his suite and then again on the field while celebrating Tennessee’s 41-17 win.

The league fined Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper $300,000 during the 2023 season after he was caught on video throwing a drink in the direction of Jacksonville Jaguars fans during a 26-0 Panthers loss. The league called his action “unacceptable conduct.”