Washington football team's defensive tackles saw Jonathan Allen and Daren Payne fall apart during Sunday night's 56-14 loss to the Dallas Cowboys when Allen took a swing at his former Alabama teammate in Arlington, Texas.
The two players sat next to each other on the bench after an eight-game 75-yard drive by Dallas at the start of the second quarter, resulting in the Cowboys' third consecutive touchdown.
"I don't think it takes a rocket scientist," Allen said of why it started. "If you look at how that game went, emotions are high, things are high, things happen."
TV cameras showed Payne and Allen talking to each other. Payne was looking at Allen, who was looking straight ahead. Then Payne, now standing, pressed a finger into the side of Allen's head. At that point, Allen stood up, swinging Payne's arm away from his left hand and swinging with his right hand—a slight twitch on the side of Payne's face.
The players were then separated by three teammates, with line coach Sam Mills Jr. interrupting. Payne became upset as he sat on the bench, while Allen sat nearby. Players kept coming up to Payne, trying to calm him down.
Both the players were on the field with each other in the ensuing series and ended the game.
"Just a little brother disagreement; maybe the wrong place, the wrong time, but it happened," Payne said.
Payne declined to say what led to the argument and said it was all good between them. When asked how two players who have been together for so long can get into such a situation, he said, "You got brothers? You all fight, don't you?
Washington coach Ron Rivera said he was told about the incident after the game. He spoke to both the players about why this happened but said that he would not disclose their conversation. He also said that there will be no disciplinary action.
"I spoke with him and as far as I'm concerned, it's going to be there," Rivera said. "What my players tell me is nobody's business."
Rivera said much of this stemmed from the disappointment of a three-game losing streak, as well as injuries and COVID-19 issues from several players. At one point, Washington had 23 players on the reserve/COVID-19 list. It has 14 players in injured reserve, including nine who were either starters or prime backups.
"Disappointment, wanting to win," Rivera said while trying to explain the feelings for both players.
Washington achieved its fifth consecutive losing season, falling 6–9 for three consecutive losses. For Payne and Allen, who played together for two years in Alabama and now four years with Washington, the key is not letting it stop.
"When something happens on the field, you never let it take you to the locker room," Allen said. "Things get heated, we fix them, we sit like big men and we move on.
"I will take full responsibility for my actions and Payne will too."