WR London regrets argument with fan, but 'I don't take light to disrespect'

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  Marc RaimondiSep 20, 2026, 05:39 PM ET

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  Marc Raimondi's first year covering the Falcons was 2024, but it wasn't his first year at ESPN. He joined the company in 2019 and was a top combat sports reporter. He also covered professional wrestling and wrote the book "Say Hello to the Bad Guys: How Pro Wrestling's New World Order Changed America," which was published by Simon & Schuster in 2025. Raimondi also worked for the New York Post and Newsday, beginning in 2009, covering high school and college sports, plus the NFL, NFL, MLB and NHL.

ATLANTA -- Falcons wide receiver Drake London got into a verbal confrontation with someone in the crowd during his team's 34-3 loss to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.

Cameras on the sideline picked up London appearing to lob profanities at an unknown person with teammate Olamide Zaccheaus holding him back. London said "personal stuff" was said to him, and he reacted but knows "it's not the right thing to do."

"I'm going to be honest here, I don't take light to disrespect at all," London said. "I don't care who you are. I'm a man, too, at the end of the day. So, if you want to get on a personal level, I can get there, too, but it's not the right thing to do. So, I got to take accountability for that, and I got to push forward and be the bigger man in some of those situations."

London had four catches for 51 yards as the Falcons' offense continued its struggles. Quarterback Cooper Rush had two interceptions and a lost fumble before being benched for undrafted rookie Jack Strand in the third quarter. Atlanta is still awaiting the return of Michael Penix Jr. (left ACL) and Tua Tagovailoa (oblique).

"I think we as playmakers -- us in the backfield, us on the outside, on the wing -- we got to go out there and make plays regardless," London said. "We're all in the league for a reason, right? We're all good football players. I don't care if you're fourth string or you're the starter."

London admitted the score of the game did factor into how he reacted with the person in the crowd. When asked if it was a fan, London just said, "It was somebody."

"But with how the game was going and what was said to me, I don't like it," London said.

London signed a four-year, $141 million contract extension with the Falcons in the offseason, which will keep him in Atlanta through the 2030 season.