McCain regrets incident with Bills fans
Spectator accuses safety of spitting in his face after game
DAVIE — Miami Dolphins starting safety Bobby McCain will be disciplined internally for his involvement in an altercation with a Buffalo Bills fan, who said the Dolphins’ team captain spit on him after Sunday’s 31-21 loss.
According to the Buffalo News story, Dylan Wentland, a Bills fan, says he confronted McCain about threatening to spit on a 13-year-old boy who was heckling him during warmups.
“I go, ‘Dude, what’s wrong with you? What kind of role model are you for the kid?’” Wentland told the Buffalo News.
Wentland, 28, said he didn’t interact with McCain anymore during the game, but when the game ended and players were exiting the field McCain sought him out.
“He runs right up to me and spits in my face and then runs down the tunnel,” Wentland told the Buffalo News. “I mean literally, wound up, hocked and just spit in my face while I’m standing there.”
Other fans apparently saw McCain spit in Wentland’s face and gave statements to deputies. McCain didn’t deny the incident took place on Monday.
“I regret the incident that happened with me and the fan yesterday after the game,” McCain said. “I wish I could have handled myself a little better.”
The Erie County Sheriff’s Office is aware of the incident and is following up with the Bills and the NFL.
Coach Brian Flores spoke with McCain on Monday to get his side of the incident.
“Him and I have a pretty open dialog and I heard his side of the story. It’s unfortunate. I feel like he needed to handle that situation better,” Flores sad. “We’re going to discipline Bobby for that. We’ll handle that discipline internally.”
McCain, a five-year veteran, who has contributed 17 tackles, one interception and two pass deflections in five games he’s played this season, could be subject to a fine or suspension for an entire game for conduct detrimental to the team.
The Dolphins (0-6) could also prevent McCain, a two-time team captain who has started 37 games at safety and cornerback, from starting in Monday night’s road game against the Pittsburgh Steelers (2-4).
Flores expressed disappointment that the situation wasn’t handled properly.
He lumped it in with defensive tackle Christian Wilkins’ ejection from the Bills game for throwing a punch on the defense’s second snap of the game.
“We take those [situations] very seriously,” Flores said. “There is a standard we’re trying to set here of professionalism, the way we go about things. We need to live up to that standard, and we’re going to.”