The Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints brought the heat to Southern California on Tuesday — and not just from the sun. Their joint practice ahead of Friday's preseason opener turned into a full-blown fight club, with multiple skirmishes breaking out and punches being thrown.
The first altercation came early in the scrimmage when Cowboys linebacker Donovan Ezeiruaku and Saints offensive lineman Erik McCoy got into it, trading blows before order was restored. Ezeiruaku was promptly ejected from the field for his role in the melee.
But that was just the appetizer. The main event featured Saints rookie wide receiver Brock Rechsteiner — son of wrestling legend Scott Steiner — who found himself in a war with a Cowboys defensive back. According to Luke Johnson of the New Orleans Times-Picayune, Rechsteiner was punched by a Cowboys player, then fought that same player, and then took on another opponent and body slammed him to the turf.
“Someone on the Cowboys just punched Brock Rechsteiner, and then after they fought, Rechsteiner fought another player and straight up body slammed him,” Johnson reported. “More fighting than football today it seems.”
It's the kind of intensity that often defines joint practices, but this one took it to another level. The teams are set to face off in the preseason this Friday, so the bad blood could carry over into the game.
What This Means for the Teams
For the Cowboys, the brawl is just another chapter in a training camp that's been full of drama. Dallas is hoping to bounce back from a disappointing 2024 season and contend in the NFC East. With Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and new addition George Pickens leading the offense, the Cowboys have firepower. But their defense needs to step up if they want to make a deep run. The team's recent struggles have even led Hall of Famer Troy Aikman to say Cowboys fans deserve better after three decades of mediocrity.
On the Saints' side, the focus is on developing second-year quarterback Tyler Shough, who showed flashes as a rookie. The NFC South is wide open, and New Orleans believes they can compete for the division title if Shough takes a leap. The added physicality of this practice might just be the spark they need to build some toughness.
Joint Practice Brawls Becoming a Trend
This isn't the first time a joint practice has gotten out of hand this preseason. The Chargers had their own nightmare when three starters went down with injuries during a session with the 49ers. And with the intensity ramping up across the league, these practices are becoming as heated as regular-season games.
For now, both teams will have to cool down before Friday's matchup. But given what we saw on Tuesday, there's no telling what might happen when they line up opposite each other again.
Stay tuned — this rivalry might just be getting started.
