The viral finger: A trooper made headlines at the Texas A&M game — what comes next?

A bump, a step, a pointed finger — a brief moment near the tunnel at Kyle Field in College Station during the Texas A&M–South Carolina game. That was all it took for a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper to become the focus of national attention.

A video shows a quick interaction between the trooper and South Carolina players following a touchdown celebration. The clip is short, the angle limited, and the context before and after isn’t yet known. But that didn’t slow anything down. Before the players were even back on the sideline, the clip was circulating on ESPN, X and TikTok. It didn’t matter that Texas A&M mounted a comeback in the second half. The game faded. The gesture didn’t.

And as the reaction built, what stood out wasn’t the gesture itself. It was how quickly one small moment can shift the conversation around an entire agency — and sometimes around the profession. Moments like this have a way of becoming bigger than the space where they happened.

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And that’s where the real story begins.

The clip may spark the attention, but the real test comes in how the agency responds the next day. That’s the leadership moment. And it’s one every agency will face at some point.

What Police1 readers are saying

The Police1 Facebook community — officers, retirees, supervisors and fans — weighed in almost immediately. And while the comments covered a wide spectrum, they reflected the discussions happening inside agencies whenever something unexpected goes viral.

Here are some of the perspectives readers shared:

• “This is why we struggle with public support. It’s not the big things; it’s the everyday small stuff. It was a football game with college students!”
• “As a retired police officer, my view of what the trooper did was simply not a good look for police officers. I would like to see the officer’s actions about 30 [seconds] before and after the incident.”
• “As a law enforcement officer, regardless of who thinks who is wrong, that was a little much. He’s working the game. He shouldn’t have done that — plain and simple. I support law enforcement, but not those with a bad attitude.”
• “This is an embarrassment for law enforcement! We work hard at these events to keep everyone safe! It’s apparent this trooper was harboring a grudge on ‘his shoulder’ and let his ‘feelings’ show! Hopefully, we’re not all judged by this man’s bad actions!”
• “As a South Carolina trooper who’s worked many games there, I’ve never had a positive interaction with a player. The best method to deal with them is to just ignore them. They say things to you for a reaction. They are entitled and they will not do what you tell them to. With that said, I’m not taking the trooper’s side — the shoulder check was absolutely uncalled for. Is it an overreaction by everyone? Yes, it’s not that serious.”
• “Making a mountain out of a molehill of an issue. No reason for this to go this extreme on something so little. Talk to him, give him a written warning or something, but good grief — not all of this.”
• “Not a single interview has been conducted. No context has been provided. Nobody even knows what actually happened or why — yet they’re already calling for the trooper to be fired? So much for due process and ‘innocent until proven guilty.’”

In the clip below at the 15:30 mark, South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer briefly discusses the incident regarding the Texas DPS trooper with members of the media following his team’s loss to Texas A&M.

What matters the next day

Texas A&M Police and Texas DPS moved quickly to acknowledge the incident, confirm the trooper was relieved of his game day assignment and note that the Office of Inspector General is reviewing what happened. Those early steps matter — they show the agency is paying attention.

But the next day is where leadership lives. When a moment spreads this fast, the question becomes how to steady the situation without rushing conclusions or going silent.

And because we don’t yet know whether DPS or Texas A&M connected directly with the players or coaching staff, it’s helpful to look at what typically makes a difference when agencies face a moment like this:

1. Have a direct conversation if everyone is willing

This is one step agencies often skip, usually because it feels easier to let the moment pass. But when something gets this much attention, a quick conversation can go a long way. And no, this isn’t a formal meeting, a press conference or anything resembling a disciplinary hearing. It’s simply reaching out — often through leadership on both sides — to say, “Let’s walk through what you saw, what we saw and make sure nothing was misunderstood.”

2. Give the public a sense of what comes next

After an initial acknowledgment, a bit of process clarity helps calm speculation. People want to know what a review usually includes, who oversees it and when updates tend to be released. Agencies don’t need to share details — just enough to signal that the process is moving and not being handled behind closed doors.

1 of 6:

Texas A&M wide receiver Ashton Bethel-Roman (3) breaks away from South Carolina linebacker Justin Okoronkwo (17) after catching a pass for a first down during the second half.

David J. Phillip/AP

2 of 6:

South Carolina wide receiver Nyck Harbor (8) catches a pass for a touchdown as Texas A&M defensive tackle Albert Regis (17) and Dalton Brooks (25) defend during the first half.

David J. Phillip/AP

3 of 6:

South Carolina defensive lineman Nick Barrett (93) celebrates with Judge Collier (8) after returning a fumble by Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed for a touchdown during the first half.

David J. Phillip/AP

4 of 6:

South Carolina’s Vicari Swain (4) celebrates after intercepting a pass in the end zone against Texas A&M during the first half.

David J. Phillip/AP

5 of 6:

South Carolina quarterback Lanorris Sellers (16) is sacked by Texas A&M defensive end Dayon Hayes (50) during the second half.

David J. Phillip/AP

6 of 6:

Texas A&M tight end Nate Boerkircher (87) celebrates after catching a touchdown pass against South Carolina during the second half.

David J. Phillip/AP

3. Make sure everyone working together has the same expectations

Large events move fast, and different groups often work the same space with different assumptions. Some think their role is movement control, others see themselves there for security presence, and still others focus on access points. The next day is a good moment to revisit whether those expectations were shared — and whether anything needs adjusting for the next game or event.

4. Talk internally before outside conversations take over

By the time the next day arrives, the clip has already made the rounds – group chats, social feeds, text threads. Officers have seen it. Their friends and families have seen it. People inside the department have seen it. And most of them already have thoughts about what they watched.

That’s why a steady internal message matters. A quick update on what the agency knows so far, what’s being reviewed and what to expect next helps keep everyone grounded. It makes sure your own people hear from leadership before they hear it from everyone else.

It doesn’t need to be long; it just needs to be clear.

Follow-throughs matter

The follow-through doesn’t end the next day. Once the attention fades and the review is complete, agencies have a chance to answer a different question: What did we learn from this?

Moments like this can highlight gaps in communication, placement, expectations or coordination that don’t show up until something draws attention to them.

A clear update weeks or months later helps close the loop. That might include confirming the review is finished, sharing the pieces you can share and explaining whether anything changed as a result — from how game day assignments are briefed, to how roles are defined, to how movement in tight spaces is managed.

Even small adjustments in policy or practice are worth communicating. They show the moment led to something constructive instead of just becoming another viral clip that fades and gets replaced by the next one.

If you were making the call, what would your next-day response look like? Share below.