CBS SportsAug 20, 20261 min read

NFL fines Cowboys, Saints $500K each after joint practice fights get out of hand, per report

Key takeaways

The fines totaled $500,000 for both the Cowboys and Saints after clashes in joint practices, as reported by ESPN. The NFL emphasized that fights trigger individual and club penalties and potential loss of practice.
A league memo issued on July 14 instructed teams to maintain high standards of professionalism and to prevent fighting or escalation, signaling ongoing oversight of joint-practice conduct.
Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer and Saints head coach Kellen Moore reportedly debated ending practice early but chose to press on with the joint session.
A viral moment included Saints rookie Brock Rechsteiner delivering a German suplex on Cowboys safety Jalen Thompson during a face-mask incident, highlighting the intensity of the clashes.
Another incident saw Saints center Erik McCoy leaving the scrap with a Cowboys helmet in hand, which he reportedly threw, illustrating the physicality of the fights.
The two teams are set to meet again in a preseason finale on August 28, with the fines and conduct scrutiny likely to influence how they approach upcoming games and training.
The broader pattern notes that many teams experience tense moments in joint practices, but the NFL is closely watching how clubs manage emotions to balance competitiveness with safety.

Following a series of escalating scuffles during joint practices between the Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints, the NFL fined each team $500,000. A prior league memo stressed that fighting undermines professionalism and could cost teams practice time or fines. Despite talks by coaches to end the session early, both sides continued, underscoring broader tensions at training camps league-wide. The incidents foreshadow continued scrutiny ahead of the teams’ upcoming preseason finale on August 28.

Read the full story at CBS Sports

Summary generated with AI from the original article by CBS Sports.

Up next

Bengals' Joe Burrow 'trying to manifest' return to Super Bowl: 'I'm tired of saying next year'NFL · 4H AGO

Browns TE Dae'Quan Wright Among Players to Enter Transfer Portal After Court Order on NCAA SportsBleacher Report · 4H AGO

LOOK: A.J. Brown, Jalen Hurts embrace during Patriots-Eagles joint practiceCBS Sports · 7H AGO

Key takeaways

The fines totaled $500,000 for both the Cowboys and Saints after clashes in joint practices, as reported by ESPN. The NFL emphasized that fights trigger individual and club penalties and potential loss of practice.

A league memo issued on July 14 instructed teams to maintain high standards of professionalism and to prevent fighting or escalation, signaling ongoing oversight of joint-practice conduct.

Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer and Saints head coach Kellen Moore reportedly debated ending practice early but chose to press on with the joint session.

A viral moment included Saints rookie Brock Rechsteiner delivering a German suplex on Cowboys safety Jalen Thompson during a face-mask incident, highlighting the intensity of the clashes.

Another incident saw Saints center Erik McCoy leaving the scrap with a Cowboys helmet in hand, which he reportedly threw, illustrating the physicality of the fights.

The two teams are set to meet again in a preseason finale on August 28, with the fines and conduct scrutiny likely to influence how they approach upcoming games and training.

The broader pattern notes that many teams experience tense moments in joint practices, but the NFL is closely watching how clubs manage emotions to balance competitiveness with safety.