INDIANAPOLIS – Carolina Panthers defensive tackle Vernon Butler was ejected in the third quarter of Sunday’s game for punching Colts tight end Jack Doyle.
The 2016 first-round pick out of Louisiana Tech then gave the middle finger to fans booing him as he was escorted to the locker room.
The move came with Carolina trailing 24-3 in the debut of rookie quarterback Will Grier.
Nothing on replays showed that Doyle did anything to provoke the punch to his facemask. Officials immediately threw a flag for unnecessary roughness and then announced Butler was ejected after reviewing the replay.
It appeared Butler was trying to hit guard Mark Glowinski, who continued to block him after the play appeared dead, and swung at Doyle by mistake.
Butler, whose fifth-year option wasn’t renewed during the offseason, was inactive the first two games this season.
He became a force up front after Pro Bowl tackle Kawann Short suffered a season-ending rotator cuff injury in the second game, recording a career-high six sacks over the next 11 games.