Obscene 'sex toy' trend appears at NFL Browns-Bengals game as official tosses object off field
A video from Sunday’s Cleveland-Cincinnati game shows a green sex toy thrown onto the field during the second quarter, extending a trend that has disrupted multiple WNBA contests this summer.
A green sex toy was thrown onto the field during the second quarter of the Cleveland Browns’ game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025, a social media video shows, marking the first appearance of the obscene object-throwing trend at an NFL game.
The clip posted online shows an NFL official pick up the object on the far side of the field — away from the area of play — and toss it toward the sideline. No immediate arrests were reported in connection with the incident, and there was no on-field delay noted in the footage. The Bengals led 14-10 at halftime as both teams sought their first win of the 2025 season.
The object-throwing trend originated in the WNBA this summer and has occurred at multiple games since late July. League and law-enforcement responses escalated after several incidents, with the WNBA warning in August that it was "working closely with local and federal law enforcement to pursue all appropriate actions — including arrest and prosecution with felony charges where applicable — against anyone engaged in this conduct or otherwise involved in sponsoring this reckless and unacceptable behavior."
The WNBA confirmed that sex toys were thrown during at least six games since July, beginning with an incident in Atlanta on July 29. Other reported incidents took place in Chicago on Aug. 1 and again later in August, and a separate episode in Los Angeles saw a thrown object narrowly miss Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham. A small number of arrests have been made in connection with the WNBA incidents.
Sunday’s NFL incident did not involve an on-field injury, and the object landed away from the players, according to the video. The Browns and Bengals both resumed play after the second quarter without any apparent change to the game schedule. Photos from the contest show typical game action, including Cleveland running back Raheem Sanders scoring in the first half and Cincinnati running back Chase Brown being tackled by Cleveland cornerback Denzel Ward.
League officials in other sports have treated the trend as a public-safety issue, citing the danger posed to players, on-field personnel and fans. The spread of the incidents from the WNBA to an NFL venue is likely to draw further scrutiny of stadium security practices and enforcement measures, though neither the NFL nor the teams involved issued an immediate statement about the Sunday event.