In a joint practice between the Rams and Las Vegas Raiders in Thousand Oaks, a fight erupted between Rams running back Cam Akers and Raiders defensive lineman Maxx Crosby.
Despite the significant size difference, with Akers standing at 5 feet 10 and 215 pounds, and Crosby at 6-5 and 255 pounds, they didn’t hold back.
The fight started after Crosby chased Akers approximately 25 yards down the field in an apparent attempt to strip the ball.
Following the altercation, both players were sidelined for the remainder of practice, with Akers in street clothes.
Rams coach Sean McVay downplayed the incident, stating that it was quickly separated and didn’t hinder the team’s objectives for the day.
This clash between Akers and Crosby was not entirely unexpected, as the Rams and Raiders have a history of brawls during joint practices.
In 2019, a similar incident occurred in Napa, and in 2021, tensions flared in Thousand Oaks.
Meanwhile, the Rams’ star defensive tackle Aaron Donald, who is known for swinging a helmet during a joint-practice brawl last year in Cincinnati, sat out Wednesday’s practice for rest purposes, according to McVay.
While not reaching the level of Donald’s helmet-swinging incident, another Rams player left practice early due to a fight.
Crosby declined to disclose the details of his conversation with head coach Josh McDaniels at the end of practice but briefly explained the altercation with Akers during his press conference.
“Shit, I was just doing what I do,” Crosby candidly stated. “He didn’t like that, so he got what he got. It is what it is.”
The Rams and Raiders are scheduled to practice together again on Thursday, leaving fans curious if cooler heads will prevail in their upcoming interactions. Stay tuned for further updates.
