Saints-Cowboys Joint Practice Marred by Multiple Brawls and Ejections

A Saints-Cowboys joint practice in Oxnard devolved into multiple fights, including a body slam by Brock Rechsteiner and the ejection of Donovan Ezeiruaku.

OXNARD, Calif. -- A Tuesday joint session between the Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints devolved into multiple brawls, leading coaches Brian Schottenheimer and Kellen Moore to discuss a total cancellation of the practice. The most significant physical altercation involved Saints tight end Brock Rechsteiner, son of WWE Hall of Famer Scott Steiner, who body-slammed a Cowboys player to the turf. This specific scuffle ignited after Cowboys cornerback Caelen Carson punched Rechsteiner, resulting in the tight end being yanked by his facemask as teammates from both rosters intervened.

Cowboys outside linebacker Donovan Ezeiruaku was ejected from the session for the second time this offseason after throwing punches during a skirmish with Saints center Erik McCoy. During that exchange, McCoy tossed a helmet and eventually lost his own headgear before the two players traded blows. Ezeiruaku had previously been sent to the locker room for punching a teammate earlier in training camp. Schottenheimer noted that two officiating crews witnessed the linebacker lose his composure, leading to a planned follow-up conversation regarding discipline and the player's impact on the team.

Coaches Deliberate Practice Cancellation

The intensity of the fighting reached a threshold where Schottenheimer and Moore established a verbal agreement to terminate the session if further incidents occurred. While the coaches allowed play to continue, Schottenheimer held a longer than usual meeting with his players on the field following the conclusion of drills. He described the environment as "chippy" and noted that his team did not handle the discipline element of the game well. Despite the tension, the Saints offense and Cowboys defense successfully completed an 11-on-11 period and a red zone session without further physical altercations toward the end of the day.

Saints linebacker Pete Werner stated the team expected the environment to be chippy, while quarterback Tyler Shough reported that the players "felt the juice" during every down of competition. Shough admitted to talking trash to the opposing defense but emphasized the need to manage the emotional ebbs and flows of the sport. At least two major fights occurred between the New Orleans offense and the Dallas defense, resulting in groups of players pushing and shoving along the sidelines.

Disciplinary Measures and League Rules

Under current CBA regulations, NFL players are subject to fines for participating in fights during joint practices. This session stood in contrast to previous summer work for both franchises; the Cowboys and Los Angeles Rams had only minor shoving matches during their joint work, and the Saints hosted the Jacksonville Jaguars last week without a single altercation. Cowboys safety Jaylen Thompson remarked that both sides came close to crossing the line due to the competitive nature of the work.

Schottenheimer mentioned leaders such as Christian Parker and Quinn Williams as figures who would help younger players like Ezeiruaku maintain their composure in the future. The coach expressed a desire for his roster to play on the edge without going over it, though he noted he needed to review film to assess the full extent of the day's events. Pushing and shoving also occurred on the secondary field where the Saints defense faced the Cowboys offense.

Preseason Schedule and Future Matchups

The New Orleans Saints are scheduled to travel to face the Los Angeles Rams for another joint practice session this coming Thursday. Following that work, the Saints and Cowboys will meet again in a formal setting for their preseason finale on Aug. 28. Tuesday's session in Oxnard served as the primary flashpoint for the two teams, characterized by Schottenheimer as a day where the Cowboys were "not going to take s---" from their opponents despite the lack of discipline shown during the brawls.