Viral Video Shows Fans Brawling at Saints vs. Panthers Monday Night Football Game
While the New Orleans Saints and the Carolina Panthers battled it out on the field this past Monday night, a different kind of showdown occurred in the stadium. The Saints fought (ugly at times) to win with a 20-17 score, but the video capturing a brawl between fans of the two teams is what stole the show.
The viral clip, shot by Anson Phillips and shared across his social media platforms, showed a man presumed to be a Saints fan engaging in a physical altercation with a Carolina Panthers fan. Though the origins of the brawl remain unknown, the man dressed in black and white clearly dominated the fight. The skirmish unfolded on the grounds of Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, with the iconic FOX NFL Theme song providing a bizarre backdrop to the altercation.
Phillips captioned his video, “Sums up the Saints vs. Panthers Monday Night Game,” leading viewers to believe the man delivering the blows was a Saints fan. Onlookers—predominantly Panthers fans—tried to intervene, but by then, the damage was done.
Social media comments on the video varied from humorous to analytical. While one commenter mockingly used the Panthers' battle cry, “#KeepPounding,” another remarked, “Literally, took him to pound town.” A third referenced New Orleans' famed Popeyes Chicken, saying, “That was a whole box of spicy Popeyes chicken, about 6 biscuits and NO damn sweet tea! Damn.” Yet another fan seemed impressed by the brawler's skills, suggesting, “Good ground and pound game. Nice cross. Sign that man up!”
As we venture into Week 3 of the NFL regular season, this certainly isn't the first instance of a fan brawl going viral this season and it likely won't be the last. While there is no official confirmation on whether the involved parties will face any charges, the NFL's strict code of conduct could result in disciplinary action.
For the teams and fans alike, the NFC South rivalry continues, but one can only hope it will remain within the bounds of sportsmanship moving forward.