NFL punishes Cowboys, Saints over heated brawl at joint practice

The NFL is handing down fines for the fight-filled joint practice that took place earlier this week between the Cowboys and Saints. 

The league fined each organization $500,000 over the whole situation, which saw a number of fights break out during the joint exercise in Oxnard, Calif.

“The Competition Committee has made sportsmanship — including at joint practices — a point of emphasis over the past several years. All clubs were reminded by memo prior to training camp of their responsibility in preventing unsportsmanlike behavior at joint practices that has the potential to result in injury,” the league said, according to NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport. 

New Orleans Saints running back C.J. Donaldson, second from right, grabs the face mask of Dallas Cowboys outside linebacker Isaiah Land, second from left, during a scrum during an NFL football joint practice in Oxnard, Calif., on Tuesday, August 18, 2026. AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill

Among the players who appeared to be involved in the melee was suspended Saints wide receiver Brock Rechsteiner, who is also the son of WWE Hall of Famer Scott Steiner. 

Jerry Jones said the Cowboys will appeal the fine, according to the Dallas Morning News.

The Cowboys owner also told reporters that the organization will be internally fining players that they deem responsible for the league’s decision to fine the team. 

Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer expressed anger over the whole situation earlier in the week when he spoke following the fiery practice, describing it as a “fight club” and saying that “nobody wants this.” 

A helmet belonging to a member of the New Orleans Saints is ripped off during a scrum during an NFL football joint practice on Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif. AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill

“We want to get the work in. I thought it settled down and it was very chippy early on, but it was unfortunate,” Schottenheimer said. “Our football team needs this work, and overall, I was disappointed in the work today because I didn’t think we got enough good work.”

The Cowboys and Saints will not face each other during the regular season, but the two NFC teams will be seeing one another in just a few weeks when they play their preseason finale at AT&T Stadium.