Multiple brawls mar Saints-Cowboys joint practice session - ESPN

OXNARD, Calif. — The Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints joint practice session devolved into a WWE-style brawl Tuesday.

Punches were thrown, helmets were tossed, and at one point, Saints tight end Brock Rechsteiner, son of WWE Hall of Famer Scott Steiner, grabbed a Cowboys player and body-slammed him to the turf.

That scuffle happened after Cowboys cornerback Caelen Carson punched Rechsteiner, who was then yanked around by the face mask as teammates poured in. The situation between the two teams was heated enough that Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer and Saints coach Kellen Moore discussed whether to continue.

«We kind of had agreed that if a couple of other things happened, we would cancel it, but they worked through it,» Schottenheimer said. «Again, they settled into it, but again, there's a discipline element to playing this football game and unfortunately we didn't handle that very well today.»

Saints linebacker Pete Werner said they expected it would «be a little bit chippy» coming into practice. Saints quarterback Tyler Shough said they «felt the juice.»

«I was going out there talking crap to the guys, talking a bunch. We were out there competing every single down. That's what we want, but we also have to manage the ebbs and flows of the game, too. And it felt that way. And I think we were able to really get some good work in,» Shough said.

At least two fights between the Saints offense and Cowboys defense ended up involving several players, with groups pushing and shoving down the sideline.

«We came kind of close to crossing that [line]. I think both sides did,» Cowboys safety Jalen Thompson said. «That's just the competitiveness of the sport and guys working hard.»

Saints center Erik McCoy tossed a helmet in