September 18, 2022
2022 bench-clearing brawl and ejections
On Sept. 18, 2022 a fourth-quarter exchange between Tom Brady and Marshon Lattimore escalated into a bench-clearing brawl in New Orleans; Mike Evans shoved Lattimore to the turf, both were ejected, and the NFL suspended Evans one game while fining multiple participants [1][2][3][4].
Quick Facts
What Happened
On Sept. 18, 2022 in New Orleans, late in the fourth quarter of the New Orleans Saints–Tampa Bay Buccaneers game, an on-field exchange involving Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore and Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady escalated when Leonard Fournette shoved Lattimore. Video and contemporaneous reporting show Mike Evans leaving the Buccaneers sideline and shoving Lattimore to the turf after a reported punch or shove in the sequence; the contact sparked a bench-clearing melee that involved multiple players from both teams and prompted on-field ejections for Evans and Lattimore [1][2]. Immediately after the game Evans told reporters, "You don't throw punches at guys on the field. He threw a punch at Lenny, and I can't let that happen to my teammates. So I shoved him… turned into a brawl," framing his action as defending teammates [1]. Evans also said in locker-room remarks, "All I seen is Lattimore, he like punched Lenny in the face or something like that and like, pushed Tom. That's all I saw. So, I just pushed him" [2]. The NFL reviewed the footage and issued a one-game suspension to Evans in a letter from league official Jon Runyan describing the conduct and the potential for serious injury; multiple players, including Lattimore and Leonard Fournette, received fines for their roles in the altercation [3][4][6]. Social-media video clips and player posts circulated widely and were embedded in major outlets' coverage, preserving the visual record of the melee [7][4].
What They Said
“You don't throw punches at guys on the field. He threw a punch at Lenny, and I can't let that happen to my teammates. So I shoved him… turned into a brawl.”
“All I seen is Lattimore, he like punched Lenny in the face or something like that and like, pushed Tom. That's all I saw. So, I just pushed him.”
“After a play had ended, you were walking toward your sidelines... You knocked your opponent to the ground and a melee ensued involving players from both teams.”
“Your aggressive conduct could have caused serious injury to your opponent and clearly does not reflect the high standards of sportsmanship expected of a professional.”
Why It Matters
The Sept. 18, 2022 brawl is the defining episode in the Evans–Lattimore sequence because it produced ejections, a one-game suspension for Mike Evans, and multiple fines—creating the most extensive contemporaneous documentary record (league letter, embedded video, postgame quotes) of their recurring confrontations [1][3][4]. The episode demonstrated how prior incidents (2017 suspension, 2020 fine) had not resolved the pattern and showed the league willing to impose suspension for sideline intervention and physical retaliation that risked player safety [3][6].
What Happened Next
Following the Sept. 18, 2022 brawl the NFL suspended Mike Evans one game in a disciplinary letter from Jon Runyan and assessed fines to several participants, including Marshon Lattimore and Leonard Fournette (reported fines of $13,367 each) [3][4][6]. Evans had appeal rights noted in league communications and public commentary from teammates included Tom Brady calling the suspension "ridiculous" on his podcast, as reported in The Washington Post [3]. Video of the sequence circulated widely on social platforms and was used by outlets to corroborate the league's findings; mainstream coverage through Feb. 17, 2026 does not record a later comparable on-field altercation between Evans and Lattimore [1][3][4][7].