Raiders' Maxx Crosby, Rams' Cam Akers Trade Punches During Training Camp Fight

Joint training camp practices give NFL players the opportunity to play physically against other teams instead of just their teammates, but Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby and Los Angeles Rams running back Cam Akers apparently took that notion a bit too far Wednesday.

According to Tashan Reed of The Athletic, Crosby ran after Akers and attempted to punch the ball and force a fumble after "the play was basically dead." Akers was not pleased, punches were thrown and others became involved:

Reed noted Akers was ejected from practice since he bumped Crosby after the initial interaction. The defensive end remained on the sidelines for the remainder of the drill.

Crosby later explained what led to the fight.

"S--t, I was just doing what I do," Crosby said, via Pro Football Talk's Josh Alper. "He didn't like that, so he got what he got. It is what it is."

Akers also weighed in on the situation:

As Gary Klein of the Los Angeles Times explained, this is nothing new for the Rams in particular.

There were fights between Los Angeles and Las Vegas the previous two times they held joint practices together. What's more, the Rams have fought with the Los Angeles Chargers, Dallas Cowboys and Cincinnati Bengals in similar situations since 2016.

Aaron Donald infamously swung a helmet during the fight with the Bengals, which led to the team saying he was internally disciplined.

Fights are sometimes a reality of training camp, especially as players continue to practice in the August heat and become frustrated with certain situations. Tuesday's episode of HBO Hard Knocks even featured some fights during a joint practice between the New York Jets and Carolina Panthers.

Perhaps the frustrations will carry over into Saturday's preseason game between the Raiders and Rams, although the starters likely won't see much action. That means Crosby and Akers might not have many encounters in the more controlled environment of the game.

Both teams are attempting to bounce back from disappointing seasons.

The Raiders went 6-11 in 2022 and finished in third place in the AFC West, while the Rams ended up in third place in the NFC West at 5-12. Training camp is an opportunity to set the tone for the upcoming campaign, so some physical play was not exactly a surprise.

Even if it did escalate.