The NFL has never gotten involved in legislating joint practice fights, instead deferring to the clubs to punish players. Maybe it’s time.

The Bengals and Rams engaged in an all-out brawl Thursday afternoon to end their work.

A photo posted by Sam Greene, a photojournalist with The Cincinnati Enquirer, shows Rams defensive lineman Aaron Donald holding two Bengals’ helmets, one in each hand. And a video from CincyHub shows Donald viciously swinging one helmet before getting knocked to the ground and then being held back. Multiple punches were thrown between the two teams.

Jay Morrison of TheAthletic.com wrote on social media that there were “full on roundhouse punches being swung, helmets being slammed on other peoples heads, multiple players joining in. Full on melee.”

“I don’t know exactly what instigated it,” Rams coach Sean McVay said, via Gary Klein of the Los Angeles Times. “I think in some instances it’s teams defending each other. Fortunately, my understanding is nobody got hurt, and we’ll move on from it. Not going to make a bigger deal than what it is. Not going to look at pointing fingers.”

But swinging a helmet or helmets at opposing players should be a big deal. Browns defensive end Myles Garrett was suspended indefinitely for swinging Mason Rudolph‘s helmet at the quarterback’s head during a 2019 nationally televised game, and Garrett ended up serving six games. Based on the NFL’s history of ignoring joint practice fights, Donald presumably faces no discipline for a similar (or worse) transgression.

Donald was scheduled for a news conference after the session, which ended three reps early, but he did not talk Thursday, according to Klein.

“I just see guys swinging and some guys have helmets on; some don’t,” McVay said. “There’s a scrum. You just never know what can occur. And my biggest concern in just unnecessary injuries for people that we’re counting on.”

Some minor scuffles took place before the brawl that ended practice, with Bengals right tackle La'el Collins throwing a Rams’ helmet.

The Rams and Bengals seem to be fortunate someone wasn’t seriously injured, and the NFL needs to ensure that it doesn’t ever happen by punishing players under the Personal Conduct Policy.

If you see the video, he’s going hard. Interested in the potential fallout. That was violent.

Man, it’s too bad he didn’t retire after all.

Swinging a helmet at someone should have an automatic suspension of 5 games plus a fine set at 5% of annual salary, to be donated to CTE research.

Throw the book at him. Do it.

Fully suspend him for the entire year. There’s no place for this. Braining a player with their own helmet should get you kicked out of the NFL forever. Lucky he didn’t hurt anyone.

He may be a great player, but has no class.

Goodells league of finest young men! Suspended…….1 year

Garrett messed up. He should have saved that move for a joint practice and then he wouldn’t have lost a dime or missed a minute of play.

Aaron Donald is a punk. He needs to be suspended one year. How many times did he choke someone last year? If he wasn’t one of the NFL’s Golden Boys, he’d already be suspended. It’s time. He was gifted his ring…now treat him like everybody else.

He’s probably just frustrated he wasn’t allowed to line up off sides every play

Is it just me, or does it seem like joint practices of the Super Bowl winners and losers are just begging for fights? I mean, teams already gear up and talk a bunch of extra trash in these joint practices.

This joint practice was a bad idea from the go. But the NFL smells bucks. Goes to show how little control these coaches have over their teams.

Bengals are a garbage organization

This should be handled between the two teams that setup these joint practices in the first place.

There are already enough rules and regulation. Pls no more.

Aaron(roid rage) Donald at it again, this dude has some serious anger issues.

I’m willing to bet they didn’t swing back.

I don’t think the NFL has the guts to do anything about it. Maybe if it was an end of the roster type player, but they don’t have the courage to do anything to a star like Donald

Watson only got 11 games, in comparison AD99 doesn’t deserve any punishment.

Don’t mess with Aaron and you won’t get the helmet. Somebody must have done something pretty bad to get that kind of response. If I were coaching one of those teams, my star players would be home.

Suspend him for the year!!

Wow – that is insane! How long was Myles Garret suspended? This is multiple swings. Multiple hard swings! NFL better do something.

Still wish my Lions would have drafted this future HOF player over Eric Ebron! With that being said, swinging a helmet is never ok. Can the NFL suspend players for what happens in preseason practices? If so, yeah…give him a few games, set a precedent so this doesn’t happen often in the future.

He wants no part of Collins.

The fight started when Bengals OL La’el Collins threw Ram’s DL Leonard Floyd’s helmet. Collins started throwing punches and then it became a brawl. Talk is that Collins and Floyd were getting into fights all afternoon. Both coaches should have pulled these two out after the first fight, or at least made them sit in the penalty box for a 5 minute major. A lot of times after these brawls calm down players apologize to each other and laugh about it.

I don’t follow the Bengals, but I’m guessing Collins is on the bubble and was trying to prove himself.

Aaron Donald (who should have been the Super Bowl MVP) got involved in the final big brawl. He wasn’t the instigator. But this will give the ant-Rams crowd plenty to squeak about for the rest of the season, even after we win the next Super Bowl.

Suspension for the 1st game against the Bills!

He’s been a steroid abuser for years.

The NFLPA will defend him and say this violence on and by their members isnt a big deal.

Based on Watson’s negotiated punishment deal, he should have to set out first series of downs and pay fine for having wrong helmet

Time to do away with joint practices. Half of them end up in brawls.

Nothing will happen to him. He’s one of NFL golden boys playing for one of their marquee teams.

Not fair but it’s how the NFL rolls

Man there were a lot of practice fights this year.

It’s too bad joint practice today wasn’t open to the public.

He’s always been a punk and it’s a good thing Goodell cheated in the sb again in the waning minutes, otherwise this guy would be seen as a guy who was a ghost most of that game, his 2nd sb in doing so.

Should have called the cops. Swinging a helmet at someone is assault.

Hopefully they let the players handle this one on the field.

Adversity doesn’t build character – it reveals it.

Should not be allowed to step on an NFL football field ever again period!

Chokes players last year. Swinging helmets now?! Suspend his sorry butt for 4 games. The refs already gifted him a Super Bowl…enough is enough!

So if the Saints punter gets drug tested for booming a 81 yard punt you would think dual swinging helmet wielding Aaron “Stop Hate” Donald would get tested as well for roid rage. You wouldn’t want him to choke a 3rd player during a game.

Swinging a helmet violently is a weapon. How do they not suspend him for several games?

This was an attack on video. It does not matter that the NFL has no control of joint practices. This is a conduct violation if it was beach volleyball. Violence is violence. Suspend him.

Donald has replaced Suh for dirtiest lineman. Would love for him to be cancelled for 6 games but we know Goodell.

Tabais says: August 25, 2022 at 6:58 pm Nothing will happen to him. He’s one of NFL golden boys playing for one of their marquee teams. —————————————— Tabais is unfortunately correct. Donald is the most important defensive player on one of the most important teams. There will be no repercussions, maybe a small fine. As Coach McVay said, “we’ll move on from it.” And that is what will happen and nothing more.

Highly-skilled immature baby. He should have lost salary over his wrestling body slam tackles a long, long, time ago. NE handled him in 2019. Who has since?

He’s giving off Suh vibes

I love the guy,… but he has to pay the price. Unacceptable in any situation.

Isn’t a helmet considered a dangerous weapon? In the video,it was a pretty loud thud when it hit someone’s head. Players are really getting out of control.

But this is the great Aaron Donald that the Rams begged not to retire so they gave him a ridiculous raise. Never thought much of the guy.

As I understand it, the practice helmets are softer than in primetime, that’s why Myles got 6 games & Donald get 0.

I bet Suh supports Donald.

Don’t kids/young men play backyard football any more ? Fights happen. Not a big deal.

This is what happens when you bend the entire league to the feet of an animal. Aaron Donald has been running wild during real games, let alone practices. It shouldn’t be a surprise at all that this is the end result. He’s not going to change if he’s not forced to. Maybe a few suspensions… ejections… or even FLAGS for some of the stuff could have steered to a different course.

If that was a marginal player who had his helmet yanked or got hit, I hope he sues Donald, the Rams, the Rams coaches, the Bengals, their coaches, and the NFL.

I believe Garrett got 6 games…he deserves the same based on precedent.

The Rams play the Bills to open the season. They might keep him out of the last preseason game and call that punishment.

In 2018 he strapped up his helmet and went hunting for a Seahawk OL player after the game. Specifically with CLEAR intent on what his action was going to be. Chokes players on the field constantly. Rarely even flagged. Any surprise it comes to this?

It dont take much of a man to use a weapon in a fistfight.what a coward.

Something about Donald has always rubbed me the wrong way. Just seems like another meathead without much between the ears.

No wonder our country is going down the tubes, this morning on “Get Up” they defended Aaron Donald for doing that. Our nations children look up to these guys and year after year, the league just keeps getting worse. Roger you need to GO.

Our nations children look up to these guys and year after year, the league just keeps getting worse. ==========

Sounds like a parenting problem, not an NFL problem.

Heck with a suspension. Arrest & prosecute him for assault with a deadly weapon!

The video shows Donald taking at least 2 full overhand swings with the helmet before he’s separated and pushed to the ground. Donald looks out of control and the swings vicious.

You must be logged in to leave a comment. Not a member? Register now!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.