NFL preseason is heating up, and sometimes that heat spills off the field.
Thursday’s joint practice between the Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers erupted into chaos, culminating in a massive 50-man brawl that left fans in the stands at Ray Nitschke Field stunned.
What began as routine drills quickly turned into a showcase of flying fists, frustrated players, and frantic coaches trying to restore order.
Punches Land as Chaos Spreads
Video footage shows Packers offensive lineman Zach Tom throwing punches at multiple Seahawks defenders, while tight end Tucker Kraft jumped in to defend his teammates.
From there, the benches cleared, and players from both sides got involved.
Coaches were forced to scramble to break up several mini-fights across the field.
Afterward, Tom admitted he was ejected for his part in the melee.
“They were in our huddle and I saw somebody to my left got hit, so I just reacted,” he explained. “It’s really nothing more than that.”
Post-Practice Tensions Remain
Even after practice wrapped up, tempers hadn’t cooled. Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams expressed frustration over Packers players lingering near Seattle’s sideline.
“I didn’t appreciate in general them coming to our sideline while practice is over and we already broke the huddle,” Williams said.
“Our guys are on our side, their guys are on their side… stuff like that always happens.
You don’t want it to, but it just happens.”
Packers cornerback Keisean Nixon shrugged off the incident, noting that heated confrontations are part of joint practices.
“I mean the coaches are not going to like it, but it just comes with the territory. Too many alphas on the field.”
Even Green Bay offensive lineman Elgton Jenkins had to be restrained at one point, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, showing that this was far from a minor scuffle.
A Tradition of Training Camp Brawls
Joint practice frictions aren’t new in the NFL.
Earlier this month, New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel himself jumped into a fight with Washington Commanders players, coming away with a bloody cheek after trying to separate his athletes.
For the Seahawks and Packers, these preseason sessions serve as a proving ground, but also a potential flashpoint for tempers and rivalries.
Preseason Preparation Continues
Seattle and Green Bay are practicing hard ahead of their preseason finale on Saturday in Green Bay.
The Seahawks, who recently swapped out Geno Smith for Sam Darnold at quarterback, will open the regular season on September 7 against the San Francisco 49ers.
Meanwhile, the Packers will kick off their campaign against NFC North rivals, the Detroit Lions, that same day.
Good News for Packers Fans
Amid the brawls, there was a positive update for Green Bay: quarterback Jordan Love reported his non-throwing hand feels fine a week after thumb surgery.
Limited to 7-on-7 drills during the practice, Love said he’d be ready to play in a regular-season game this week if needed, practicing all week with his thumb heavily taped. “It feels good right now,” Love said.
Heating Up Before the Season
Between intense drills, heated confrontations, and recovery updates, the Seahawks-Packers preseason interactions highlight the fiery intensity of NFL training camps.
Tempers may flare, but both teams are getting ready for what promises to be a competitive start to the season.
