During a tense fourth quarter in Inglewood, California, the Los Angeles Chargers defeated the Las Vegas Raiders 22-12, but not without a notable incident that led to the ejection of Chargers wide receiver Joshua Palmer and Raiders cornerback Jack Jones.
The altercation occurred after the Raiders successfully halted running back Gus Edwards during a crucial two-point conversion attempt with just 3:40 remaining in the game. The confrontation escalated when Palmer rushed to assist teammate Ladd McConkey in blocking safety Marcus Epps, leading to a scuffle between the players outside the end zone. Multiple players were involved, igniting separate skirmishes across the field.
Postgame, Jones was unavailable for comments while Palmer expressed his surprise at being ejected, noting that he didn’t throw any punches despite claiming he was struck several times, including an earlier incident with Jones. “They came and started throwing punches, but we’re not going to be punching bags,” Palmer stated, explaining their need to defend themselves.
Palmer emphasized that there is “no bad blood” between him and Jones or the Raiders and suggested that the Raiders’ frustration stemmed from the Chargers receivers’ aggressive blocking tactics. “It’s not personal. There’s no bad blood,” he said, likening the situation to how fighters in the UFC can get along despite in-ring confrontations.
Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston was among the first to intervene during the fight, but was pulled down by Raiders linebacker Maxx Crosby, leading to additional chaos. Chargers coaches, including Jim Harbaugh and linebackers coach NaVorro Bowman, quickly stepped in to separate the players and restore order, with Bowman even energizing the crowd afterward.
Harbaugh referred to the situation as a “melee,” indicating his intent to keep the players separated and maintain focus on the game. He also mentioned that the team did not address the incident after the match.
On the other side, Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce criticized the fight as “inexcusable” and “undisciplined,” stating, “It’s just not worth it… they scored, I mean, they kicked our ass. They scored. Let it go.”