SI

Saints, Buccaneers Fight After Baker Mayfield Takes Big Hit

Ryan Phillips

The Buccaneers and Saints scuffled after a hard hit on Baker Mayfield.
The Buccaneers and Saints scuffled after a hard hit on Baker Mayfield. / Via Fo
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A fight broke out during one of the NFL's most important games in Week 18.

The New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers got into a scuffle early in the second half after quarterback Baker Mayfield took a hard hit.

The Buccaneers trailed the Saints 16-6, as they faced third-and-3 from their 42-yard line. Mayfield dropped back, couldn't find anyone open and decided to scramble. He ran for 10 yards then decided to slide. Unfortunately, his slide came a bit late and Saints safety Will Harris hit him really hard.

Mayfield didn't enjoy that and appeared to say something to Harris, which led to a small brawl that included punches being thrown.

And another look that shows Tampa Bay's Cody Mauch throwing a punch:

That's pretty ugly.

The incident sparked the Buccaneers, as Mayfield and Co. finished the drive with a six-yard touchdown pass to Payne Durham to cut New Orleans' lead to 16-13.

If Tampa Bay wins it secures the NFC South title. But if the Bucs lose and Atlanta wins, the Falcons take the division and the NFC's final playoff spot.

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Ryan Phillips
RYAN PHILLIPS

Ryan Phillips is a senior writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He has worked in digital media since 2009, spending eight years at The Big Lead before joining SI in 2024. Phillips also co-hosts The Assembly Call Podcast about Indiana Hoosiers basketball and previously worked at Bleacher Report. He is a proud San Diego native and a graduate of Indiana University’s journalism program.

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