### NFL Concludes Drink-Spilling Incident Involving Bengals' Chase Brown Was Accidental

In an investigation conducted by the NFL, a drink-spilling incident involving Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown has been ruled an accident, according to a league spokesperson. The episode took place following last Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The incident occurred as the Bengals were making their way off the field. As Chase Brown entered the tunnel, a fan seemingly poured a drink on him, an event that was caught on video and subsequently circulated on social media. Both the NFL and the players' union initiated a review to determine the nature of the act.

After a thorough examination of the video footage along with multiple security camera angles, the NFL concluded that the drink was not poured with malicious intent. "The league's review of the matter determined that portions of a drink were accidentally spilled on the Cincinnati player as Bengals fans attempted to catch the gloves he tossed to them," NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy explained in a statement to ESPN.

Had the league found the act to be deliberate, the fan involved could have faced severe consequences, possibly even a lifetime ban from the stadium. Speaking to ESPN, Chase Brown expressed relief that the incident was not intentional, especially after a standout performance where he scored his first two rushing touchdowns since being drafted by the Bengals in the fifth round last year.

"It would suck if people are doing stuff with intent," Brown remarked. "Honestly happier it's a Bengals fan, too. I'm just glad they got the gloves at the end of the day." He added that the event might influence how he distributes gear to fans after future games.