However, the blow appears to have been a case of mistaken identity as it occurred moments after a scuffle Butler had engaged in with Doyle's teammate Mark Glowinski, who wears the team's number 64 jersey while Doyle wears 84. 

The incident occurred as Butler pulled Glowinski to the ground by his facemask - a penalty offense in its own right - but he severely exacerbated matters by landing the blow to Doyle's helmet, apparently mistaking the two players after a brief fracas on the ground.

Doyle appeared to laugh off the incident and, after Butler was ejected from the game by match officials, he made known his frustration by flashing his middle finger towards opposition supporters.

Following the game, Butler issued an apology to Doyle and said that he lost control of his emotions in the heat of the moment and lashed out, adding that it won't happen again.

"It was a bang-bang play, a little extra going on," he said. "I take full responsibility for it, it won’t happen again." He also extended an apology to the Panthers organization and their fanbase.

This isn't the first time this season in which Doyle has found himself at the receiving end of a referee call which resulted in an opponent being suspended, as Butler will almost certainly be in this case. 

Earlier this season he was the recipient of a helmet-to-helmet tackle from Oakland Raiders player Vontaze Burfict.

Butler's hot-headedness didn't help his side on the field. They were trailing by a score of 21-3 when he was ejected and the Panthers' collapse continued after he left play as the Colts registered a score of 38-6 after the end of the fourth quarter.