Billy Napier Apologizes for Post-Victory Bench-Clearing Brawl Against FSU
Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier has apologized for the postgame brawl following his team’s victory over Florida State. He described the incident as “unacceptable.”
Florida State concluded their season with a 31-11 defeat to their rival, Florida, finishing with a 2-10 record. As is typical in this highly charged rivalry, tensions ran high. After the game, Florida players planted a flag at midfield, sparking a bench-clearing brawl that involved both players and staff members.
Napier quickly addressed the altercation during his post-game press conference, expressing his disappointment with his team’s behavior, which he called “embarrassing” for both him and the program. He apologized for how his players represented the university and stated that there would be consequences for those involved.
“Obviously, what happened at the end of the game is not who we want to be as a program. It’s embarrassing, and it distracts from what was a well-played football game,” Napier said. “I want to apologize on behalf of the entire organization for how we represented the university. We shouldn’t have done that, and we won’t do it again. There will be consequences for everyone involved. It’s unfortunate that we have a distraction like this, and it’s inexcusable.”
During the brawl, Florida State head coach Mike Norvell became visibly upset, picking up the flag and throwing it across the field. Many fans, who had previously criticized Norvell for lacking passion, were pleased to see the same emotion that fueled last season’s ACC Championship team make a return.
Despite winning the last two meetings, the loss stung for Florida State, particularly because of the team’s poor record and the way they performed on the night. Now, the Seminoles must regroup and prepare for the fast-approaching early signing period.
Leave a Reply