The National Football League confirmed on Thursday that it has fined the Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints $500,000 each on Thursday following a series of fights during a joint practice in Oxnard, California.
“The Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints have each been fined $500,000 for the actions that took place at the joint practice between the teams earlier this week,” the league said in a statement.
“The Competition Committee has made sportsmanship — including in 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 altercations occurred throughout Tuesday’s session, which prompted Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer to address his team’s composure, or lack thereof.
“Not the way we like to do business,” Schottenheimer said. “Got to be better, but I’ve got to look at the film. We’re certainly not going to take s— from anybody.”
(Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images)
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones spoke to reporters about the league’s decision.
“There’s certainly a very, very, let’s say, strong opinion in the league that when we have these joint practices, everybody’s aware of the competition, both individually as well as through the team,” Jones told reporters. “We understand that you don’t have the discipline of penalties that are real difference makers out here, and frankly, you probably don’t have the officiating consequences.”
“All of that makes it a real focal point of the league to stay within good sport, and the taking of helmets off, swinging and hitting, and that type of thing is not good for anybody, and it’s certainly not what we want to represent to our fans and as a league or as a team,” Jones said.
Jones added that the Cowboys plan to appeal the fine and the team will review the film and fine individual players involved in the scuffles.
The NFL circulated a memo instructing teams that all personnel are expected to prevent unsportsmanlike behavior at joint practices to reduce the potential for injury.
The Saints are preparing for a Saturday preseason matchup against the Los Angeles Rams in Inglewood.
The Cowboys will travel to face the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday for their second preseason game.
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