HARTFORD, Conn. — The Patriots’ loss to the Raiders Sunday night on a bizarre and ill-advised lateral pass that was intercepted and returned for a touchdown on the last play was enough to make any longtime fan miserable.
But Jerry Edmond, a Foran High of Milford and Central Connecticut alum attending an NFL game in person for the first time, had more reason than most to leave the stadium soured. The Patriots hope to give him a better experience on Saturday.
Edmond, in Las Vegas with friends, got tickets and wore his Patriots jersey No. 12 to Allegiant Stadium, and made it known he was cheering for them, but otherwise was acting like any other fan at a football game when a couple of Raiders fans took offense to his cheering for the visiting team.
“Basically, I was approached by the woman at first and she told me it was disrespectful to be cheering for the Patriots in the stadium,” Edmond, 24, told The Courant. “Then she repeatedly approached me throughout the game as I was cheering. One of the only things I would say was ‘That’s the Derek Carr I know,’ whenever he would make a bad pass. I guess she took offense to that, calling me disrespectful, then her husband approached me telling me to watch my mouth.”
It went on through the entire game. According to Edmonds, he told the woman at one point, ”Honestly, I don’t want any trouble. If you could just go back to your seat, everything will be fine.” Instead, she moved next to him and things continued. When Chandler Jones scored the winning TD, the woman got in Edmond’s face and screamed, but he stood, along with his friends, arms by his side. This part of the day was caught on a 49-second video that went viral.
“During the whole time she was nudging me a little bit and I was just ignoring it, trying to mind my own business,“ Edmond said. “After the Patriots fumbled the ball and the Raiders returned it, I guess she just went irate and started cheering in my face even more. I was focused on the big screen and the field trying to figure out what happened, that’s when she turned to her husband and they hugged.”
The couple walked away and Edmond left the building, not realizing another fan nearby had captured the last moments. When the video hit social media and Edmond was identified, he was praised for his restraint.
Among the calls Edmond received was from a Patriots representative, who later put him in touch with team owner Robert Kraft.
“Basically he thanked me for keeping my composure at the game,” Edmond said. “And showing, representing the Patriots brand well. And then he invited me to the game.”
Kraft offered a box seat, a Patriots jersey and pregame passes to the game at Gillette Stadium vs. the Bengals on Saturday. Edmond is taking his three CCSU roommates.
Raiders president Sandra Douglass Morgan also issued an apology and invited Edmond to return, possibly for Pro Bowl festivities, in hopes of having a more positive experience.
“On behalf of the Raiders, we appreciate the way you conducted yourself. No fan should have to endure that type of behavior. We will be in touch,” Douglass Morgan said.
Edmond’s social media accounts blew up and requests began coming in. He appeared on CBS News and was a guest on podcasts and has done several interviews.
Everyone wants to know how Edmond, a psychology major in Central’s Class of 2022, managed to keep so calm.
“It’s how I was raised,” he said. “I didn’t want to make a big scene out of anything. I didn’t want to ruin anyone else’s experience with the game, I didn’t want to ruin mine. So I looked at it like, ‘I might as well keep my cool, it’s not worth it to engage with this woman.’ ”
