Full Breakdown
NFL Fines Cowboys and Saints $500,000 Each After Brawl-Filled Joint Practice
8/21/2026, 3:46:54 AM
The Penalty and the Incident
On August 18, 2026, a joint practice between the Dallas Cowboys and the New Orleans Saints in Oxnard, California erupted into multiple fights. Players from both squads threw punches, removed helmets, and engaged in wrestling-style moves, prompting officials to halt drills several times. The league’s Competition Committee, which has emphasized sportsmanship at joint practices in recent years, cited a July 14 memo reminding all 32 clubs of their responsibility to prevent such conduct.
Background & Context
Joint practices are a preseason tradition that allow teams to test their players against unfamiliar opponents. The memo warned that fighting could lead to fines, loss of practice time, or further disciplinary measures. Despite the guidance, the Cowboys-Saints session turned “very chippy,” according to both head coaches, and escalated into a series of scuffles that the league deemed serious enough to warrant the unprecedented combined $1 million penalty.
Data & Statistics
- Fines: $500,000 per team (total $1 million).
- Fights: Reports cite anywhere from six to double-digit altercations; at least two players were ejected.
- Ejected players: Cowboys edge rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku (second ejection for throwing a punch) and Saints rookie Brock Rechsteiner (noted for a suplex on Cowboys safety Jalen Thompson).
- Other notable actions: Saints center Erik McCoy tossed a Cowboys helmet; multiple helmets were removed during the brawls.
Official Statements & Responses
The NFL released a statement confirming the fines and reiterating the Competition Committee’s focus on sportsmanship.
He added that the Cowboys will appeal the fine and will fine the individual players involved, as permitted under the collective bargaining agreement.
Verbatim Quotes
- “This game is physical and it's easy to get involved with aggressive temperaments,” — Jerry Jones, general manager
- “You have to have consequences and that needs to register,” — Jerry Jones, general manager
- “Not the way we like to do business,” — Brian Schottenheimer, cowboys coach
- “Obviously there was a lot of non-football stuff in that joint practice unfortunately,” — Kellen Moore, saints coach
- “There's a discipline element to playing this football game,” — Brian Schottenheimer, cowboys coach
- “But it does make the point that it's a serious matter, and it starts with everybody at all levels of a club, and the clubs in this case who are practicing together, it really emphasizes the league's intent to control it from the very top, which when they start dealing out those kinds of fines, they get your attention.” — Jerry Jones, general manager
What’s Next
The two clubs will meet again in their preseason finale on August 28, 2026 at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, providing a final roster-evaluation opportunity less than two weeks after the fined practice. Both teams have indicated they will focus on disciplined execution to avoid a repeat of the Oxnard incident.
