Jags wideout Marqise Lee says he was flagged for using racial slur vs. Raiders
Jacksonville Jaguars wideout Marqise Lee said Monday that he was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct for using a racial slur during the Jags’ 33-16 Sunday loss to the Oakland Raiders.
Lee said he used the N-word during a heated, third-quarter exchange after Raiders players began using it.
"It was back and forth," Lee said, via ESPN. "In the midst of the game, emotion is going from both teams. It just so happened the ref heard me, so therefore I got the flag. I've got to fess up to it."
Lee, who refused to name which players on the Raiders also used the slur, said his choice of words had more to do with the emotions of the moment than any ill will toward his opponents.
"Throughout the whole game we had a lot of players saying a lot of different things, but that's just the midst of the game," Lee said. "It's kind of hard when you have refs out there trying to limit what people say when you've got grown men hitting each other. You've got a lot of things that's going on that's flaring as far as in your mind. These 42 [teammates] know as far as the things I said, it wasn't intentional at all.”
The NFL added a rule in 2014 that allowed officials to penalize abusive language, including racial slurs, and players could be fined for any violation.
