Ronnie Bell carted off because of heat as fights break out during Saints-Cowboys joint practice

OXNARD, Calif. (AP) — During a joint practice between the New Orleans Saints and Dallas Cowboys on Tuesday, heat and tension led to several fights and the carting off of New Orleans wide receiver Ronnie Bell. The 28-minute workout, which felt hotter than usual due to unusually high humidity caused by El Nino, saw Bell become the latest casualty of the intense conditions.

His overheating occurred after he was involved in one of multiple altercations between the Saints offense and Cowboys defense. Bell, a fourth-year player out of Michigan, had already accumulated 10 receptions for 113 yards and four touchdowns in 28 games with the San Francisco 49ers and Saints before this incident. The early skirmishes took place on the field closest to fans, where the Cowboys offense faced the Saints defense.

The tension then escalated to the far field, where Dallas linebacker Donovan Ezeiruaku engaged in a confrontation with several New Orleans players, resulting in a massive scrum. Ezeiruaku and Saints center Erik McCoy were eventually separated, with McCoy even throwing a Cowboys helmet into the air. Ezeiruaku was subsequently ejected for throwing punches, marking his second ejection during training camp.

This incident marked the second time in training camp that Ezeiruaku had been removed from the field for fisticuffs, having been previously booted for pulling a helmet off an offensive lineman during a Week 18 loss to the New York Giants. While coaches expressed mixed feelings about the overall practice, they emphasized the importance of the joint workout for the Saints and their anticipation of the following session with the Los Angeles Rams.