When Brian Schottenheimer sent Donovan Ezeiruaku off the field on Day 5 of the training camp, he sent a clear message. You get into brawls on the field, you get sent right off. And it worked for a little while. The remainder of the training camp was going off without a hitch until the joint practice with the New Orleans Saints. 

What could have been another success story in the Cowboys’ preseason turned sour as the joint practice session descended into chaos. Multiple fights broke out, and the incident that has jumped into the spotlight is one involving Ezeiruaku. With just weeks before the regular season kicks off, Brian Schottenheimer isn’t happy and needs a solution. It might be closer than he thinks. 

The Dallas head coach simply isn’t happy. Talking to the media after the session, Schottenheimer explained, “Donovan is a very bright young man. He understands that he can’t hurt the football team. Unfortunately for him, there’s two officiating crews that know he lost his composure,” Schottenheimer explained. 

“But it’s part of a growth mindset for him, we’ve got to get him better, and we’ve got the right type of leaders on this football team, myself included, Christian Parker, Quinnen Williams, guys like that, that will help him do that.”

Schottenheimer referred to the moment Ezeiruaku lost his cool. It started when the linebacker tackled a few Saints offensive linemen. In the scuffle that followed, center Erik McCoy tossed the linebacker’s helmet across the field. While the two teams were quickly separated, Ezeiruaku wasn’t done.

When another altercation broke out just a few plays later, Ezeiruaku threw a couple of punches, including one that landed on McCoy. That moment was the tipping point for officials. They quickly ejected him, just as they would have done in an actual game. And that’s what Schottenheimer has been insisting on since the first day of camp. 

Earlier in Oxnard, when Ezeiruaku was ejected from practice after punching right tackle Terence Steele, Schottenheimer emphasised that Ezeiruaku needed to keep his cool, especially since, in an actual game, he would be ejected. And it wasn’t his first time receiving the punishment either.

During the Week 18 game against the New York Giants last season, Ezeiruaku was ejected for a facemask pull on Greg Van Roten. That’s why Schottenheimer, who has tried to stay optimistic, needs a solution. And fortunately, that solution could be closer than you think.

We’re talking about 2x Super Bowl champion Von Miller, who has just signed with the team. Apart from his championship experience and sack record, Miller brings a sense of maturity to the team. More importantly, he had a similar trajectory to Ezeiruaku: dealing with brawls on the field in his college years and facing legal troubles. 

Miller could be the mentor Ezeiruaku needs, just as Cowboys legend DeMarcus Ware was for him on Miller’s way to winning Super Bowl MVP. The Cowboys need Ezeiruaku to be at his best in their defensive rebuild, and so far, disciplinary issues aside, he has shown promise. This could be a turning point in his journey. 

That’s why the best move for Ezeiruaku might just be to revisit what coach Schottenheimer said a year ago, when the linebacker was holding out for a fully guaranteed contract. 

“Donovan’s a tremendous talent, but we’re building a team here. If you’re not on the field with us, you’re not part of the plan. Show up and work, or we’ll move on. It’s that simple.”

In any case, while Ezeiruaku may have been ejected, his incident was just one of the many altercations that took place in the training session today. 

Fights and dustups hit double digits in joint training session

After a successful joint session with the Rams and a win against the Seahawks, Brian Schottenheimer looked to gain even more ground on Tuesday. However, things looked rough right from the get-go. 

As both sides chipped at each other, things escalated when RB Javonte Williams was sent to the ground on a tackle. It appeared as if Williams was punched before he went to the ground, and the Cowboys immediately squared off against the Saints. While the two sides were separated, it was just the beginning of multiple brawls on the field.

A couple of plays later, it was Donovan Ezeiruaku who came under the spotlight, first for his helmet being tossed and then for being ejected after throwing punches. And that should have been the end of these brawls. But neither side was ready to back down. 

The rest of the session saw Saints rookie Brock Rechsteiner and the Cowboys’ Caelen Carson engage in a nasty fight. Rechsteiner, who is also the son of WWE icon Scott Steiner, threw Dallas safety Jalen Thompson to the ground. 

Even Dak Prescott, the QB who steers clear of fights on the field, got involved. His frustration was clear when clips on him exchanging words with Chase Young emerged, followed up by visuals of the QB making animated gestures at his opponents. The entire picture wasn’t one Schottenheimer felt good about, as he made clear after the session. 

“I was disappointed in the work today because I didn’t think we got enough good work,” Schottenheimer said about the overall practice session. “I thought there were too many bodies on the ground and it just felt sloppy to me. So it’s what it is.” 

“Not the way we like to do business,” Schottenheimer said. “Gotta be better. But I gotta look at the film. We’re certainly not gonna take s— from anybody. But, again, it was chippy on both sides.

Schottenheimer also added that he and New Orleans head coach Kellen Moore thought about canceling the practice, but they chose to continue. 

NFL teams use joint practices as a competitive measuring stick. But for the Cowboys, the last session served as a reminder of the importance of discipline. For now, Ezeiraku will face another disciplinary conversation. The young pass rusher must quickly learn to channel his aggression effectively, or risk hurting his team when the regular season begins.

The Cowboys and Saints will play each other on August 28 for Week 2 of the preseason.