The Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals went to blows during their joint practice session on Thursday. Initially, there was a small dust-up between the Rams first-team defense and the Bengals first-team offense but was broken up pretty quickly, according to reporters on the scene. After another altercation, an all-out fight broke out between the two clubs that eventually forced the powers that be to call practice early.
It was allegedly started by Leonard Floyd and La’el Collins, who took off Floyd’s helmet and threw it at him. Amid the scuffle, Rams All-Pro defensive tackle Aaron Donald was also seen holding and swinging two Bengals helmets.
Following the session, Bengals head coach Zac Taylor, who worked under Seam McVay with the Rams from 2017-2018, told reporters that practice was essentially coming to a close anyways and instead of running the handful of plays they had left, they simply decided to call it day.
“Emotions run high,” said Taylor. “We’ve been working together for two days now and that’s just some real competitive guys getting into it a little bit. … You just want to make sure everyone’s healthy.”
Of course, there is some recent history between these two teams as they just went toe-to-toe in Super Bowl LVI this past February. There, it was the Rams who came out on top and hoisted the Lombardi Trophy, but each club is expected to be competitive once again in 2022.
Unfortunately for the football-watching world, Sunday’s exhibition may be the only time we see these two teams go at it as they’re not scheduled to play one another during the regular season. So, if the Bengals truly want to get revenge on L.A., it’ll have to come in Super Bowl LVII in Arizona this winter.
