An intense incident unfolded during practice this week at Appalachian State when two players became embroiled in a physical altercation, with one seen tearing off his teammate’s helmet and striking him with it while others recorded the scene.
The viral clip that surfaced on X on Tuesday captures the moment when a pass rusher donned in a black No. 12 jersey started brawling with a blocker in a white No. 73 uniform during an 11-on-11 scrimmage.
Initially, the pair exchanged punches before the player in the black jersey escalated the fight by seizing his teammate’s facemask.
With a powerful tug, he succeeded in completely removing the facemask from the player in white.
Following this, the defensive player attempted to strike his opponent with his own helmet.
Two Appalachian State players unexpectedly clashed during preseason practice this week.
According to a statement obtained by TMZ Sports, the university refrained from naming the involved player but confirmed that disciplinary actions are being taken internally.
Head coach Shawn Clark remarked to the outlet, ‘This behavior is completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated within the App State football program.’
This incident echoes a well-known confrontation from the NFL, involving Myles Garrett of the Cleveland Browns and Mason Rudolph of the Pittsburgh Steelers back in November 2019.
In that match, Garrett similarly tore off Rudolph’s helmet and attempted to strike him with it.
This week’s practice fight comes on the heels of a successful 2023 season for Appalachian State.
The Mountaineers concluded their season with a 9-5 record and secured second place in the Sunbelt East Division standings.
Moreover, they triumphed in their postseason bowl game against the Miami (OH) Redhawks with a score of 13-9.
