LOS ANGELES (AP) — The New Orleans Saints once again proved they know how to behave in any joint practice that isn't with the Dallas Cowboys.
Two days after the Saints and Cowboys got into so many fights in Oxnard that the NFL fined both teams $500,000, New Orleans and the Los Angeles Rams had no issues or after-the-whistle clashes during a joint practice Thursday at the Rams' training complex in Woodland Hills.
Saints coach Kellen Moore spoke to his team before the workout about staying out of non-football conflict against the Rams, and it responded with a gentlemanly session before the teams meet again Saturday at SoFi Stadium for their second preseason game.
“We acknowledged some of the things that happened on Tuesday,” Moore said of his pre-practice talk. “Thought our guys were focused, Rams were focused, and it was a really good, clean practice.”
The Saints and the Cowboys had a chaotic workout, but Moore pointed out that New Orleans also had no disciplinary transgressions a week ago when it hosted a joint practice with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Rams and Saints wrapped up their workout after just over an hour, keeping it shorter than scheduled — but only because the Saints felt they had done enough after two joint practices in three days.
New Orleans also had a handful of injury departures that didn't appear to be serious, according to Moore. Offensive lineman Cesar Ruiz and defensive tackle John Ridgeway both limped off the field, while cornerback Dalys Beanum left riding on a cart.
“This was big-time workload,” Moore said. “We were pushing it pretty good with (joint practices on both) Tuesday (and) Thursday. That’s just the way the schedule worked out. It’s probably not the dream scenario of doing joint practices, but I thought it was excellent work for the guys. Almost can view it as kind of that peak point of training camp with the back-to-back right there.”
The first-team units got 45 plays against each other in Woodland Hills, with the second-stringers getting 25 plays split between Rams quarterbacks Stetson Bennett and Ty Simpson, who threw an interception to the Saints' TJ Hall. The teams cut the workout a bit short by dropping a two-minute drill session.
Matthew Stafford and Davante Adams got ample work together against the Saints' first-team defense in what amounts to the stars' preseason, since neither will be suiting up for any of the Rams' three preseason games. Stafford repeatedly found Adams at all depths of the field during the joint practice, including a nice connection on a long pass for a touchdown.
Stafford and Adams got almost no practice time together a year ago in training camp because of Stafford's injury limitations, but the veterans' connection has grown even stronger with daily work together this summer.
“They’ve got a great feel,” coach Sean McVay said. "I think today was a really good day for those guys being able to connect against tight, sticky coverage. It’s been awesome, but they’re two outstanding people, outstanding players, and it’s really fun to watch. I love what I've seen from those guys."
Stafford otherwise rarely threw the ball far down the field against the Saints. Ty Simpson played along with Stetson Bennett, but the rookie threw a couple of interceptions and didn't look as sharp as he did during his preseason debut last weekend in Kansas City.
McVay said Aaron Donald is planning to do more workouts for the Rams before he decides whether to end his 2 1/2-year retirement — and the head coach thinks a decision could be close.
“I would love to be able to have all this stuff figured out, but like I told you guys from the beginning, he’s earned the right,” McVay said. “I know he’s feeling good, and I think he will continue to work out. I’m hopeful that we’ll have some answers on that sooner than later.”
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New Orleans Saints head coach Kellen Moore, center, talks with Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer, right, and quarterback Dak Prescott during an NFL football joint practice, Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough gestures during an NFL football joint practice against the Dallas Cowboys, Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay gestures during an NFL football joint practice against the Dallas Cowboys, Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Dallas Cowboys and the New Orleans Saints have been fined $500,000 apiece by the NFL after their brawl-filled joint practice Tuesday.
The league announced the fines Thursday after requesting video of the tumultuous workout at the Cowboys ' training camp base in Oxnard, California.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said his team will appeal the “pretty stiff” fine, even though he understood why the NFL issued such a hefty penalty. The Cowboys also plan to fine their own players who were involved in the fracases.
“The Competition Committee has made sportsmanship — including at joint practices — a point of emphasis over the past several years,” the league said in a statement. “All clubs were remined by memo prior to training camp of their responsibility in preventing unsportsmanlike behavior at joint practices that has the potential to result in injury.”
Players from the Cowboys and the Saints threw punches during several skirmishes throughout the joint practice, which was conducted in uncommonly hot, humid weather in the coastal town.
A lowlight of the brouhaha was Saints tight end Brock Rechsteiner’s body slam of Cowboys safety Jalen Thompson in a move worthy of Rechsteiner’s father, pro wrestler Scott Steiner. Saints center Erik McCoy threw a Cowboys helmet high in the air during one scrap, while McCoy and Cowboys linebacker Donovan Ezeiruaku threw punches at each other in an ugly sequence that ended with Ezeiruaku getting thrown out of practice for the second time in camp.
“All of that makes it a real focal point of the league to stay within good sport, and the taking of helmets off and 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 as a league or as a team,” Jones said Thursday in Oxnard. “And so it’s understandable how they’re coming with real severe fines.”
Jones said the size of the NFL's financial penalty “does make the point that it’s a serious matter. … 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.”
Saints coach Kellen Moore and Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer nearly called off the practice early after repeated post-whistle scuffles. Schottenheimer called the workout “a little chippy. Not the way we like to do business.”
“Obviously there was non-football stuff in that joint practice, unfortunately,” Moore said Thursday before the fines were announced.
Jones indicated Ezeiruaku, who started nine games and had two sacks last season as a rookie, is one of the Cowboys players who will be fined.
“Well, I think that you have to have consequences, and that needs to register,” Jones said. “In other words, whether you’re playing a game or out here in society, if you aren’t sensitive about consequences of your behavior, then you’ll be brought to your knees pretty quick.”
The Saints have left Louisiana for California this week, conducting a few practices on the coast before a preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday at SoFi Stadium.
New Orleans had no scuffles or disciplinary issues Thursday during another joint practice with the Rams at Los Angeles' training complex in Woodland Hills. The teams still wrapped up their workout earlier than scheduled because the Saints had already done extensive work this week before a handful of players left this practice early with injuries that currently appear minor.
Moore said he spoke to his players about professionalism before they visited the Rams. New Orleans also had no issues last week when it hosted the Jacksonville Jaguars for a joint practice.
“We acknowledged some of the things that happened on Tuesday,” Moore said. “Thought our guys were focused, Rams were focused, and it was a really good, clean practice.”
AP freelance reporter Dan Greenspan in Oxnard, California, contributed to this report.
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Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trikweze Bridges, left, greets New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough during an NFL football joint practice, Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
New Orleans Saints running back Travis Etienne, second from left, tries to get by Dallas Cowboys safety P.J. Locke, left, as wide receiver Kevin Austin Jr., second from right, and safety Jalen Thompson battle during an NFL football joint practice, Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
New Orleans Saints wide receiver Ronnie Bell, top, fights with Dallas Cowboys cornerback Derion Kendrick during an NFL football joint practice, Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
New Orleans Saints tight end Moliki Matavao, center, scuffle with members of the Dallas Cowboys during an NFL football joint practice, Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Dallas Cowboys outside linebacker Sam Williams, top, fight with New Orleans Saints tight end Moliki Matavao during an NFL football joint practice, Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
