Falcons’ Stefanski on London’s exchange with fan: ‘You can never do that’

FLOWERY BRANCH — Falcons coach Kevin Stefanski condemned receiver Drake London’s verbal back-and-forth interaction with a fan during the team’s 34-3 loss to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday afternoon.

“You can never respond to a fan,” Stefanski said Monday. “That’s not the way we’re going to do that. Drake knows that, and he took accountability last night. That’s something he knows he needs to be better there and just be a pro. You can never do that.”

London, who told reporters postgame the fan said “negative things” and “some personal stuff,” took accountability for his actions.

“I’m going to be honest here: I don’t take light to disrespect at all,” London said Sunday. “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 that’s not the right thing.

“So, I got to take accountability for that, and I got to push forward and be the bigger man in some of those situations. But with how the game was going, and what was said to me, I don’t like it.”

The exchange came midway through the third quarter while the Falcons trailed, 27-3, and quarterback Cooper Rush had just committed his third turnover.

London, 25, stood by the Falcons’ bench, pointed his finger at someone standing in a viewing area behind the bench and appeared visibly frustrated while exchanging words. Veteran receiver Olamide Zaccheaus was next to London when the incident occurred.

“I’m not going to comment on that,” Zaccheaus told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution postgame.

The Falcons are 0-2 for the first time since 2022, London’s rookie season. London caught four passes for 51 yards Sunday, a statistical step forward after a two-catch, 29-yard performance in the team’s season-opening loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.