The NFL has officially handed down $500,000 penalties to both the Dallas Cowboys and the New Orleans Saints following their chaotic joint practice brawl. There were enough fights for head coaches Brian Schottenheimer and Kellen Moore to consider canceling the practice at one point. Now, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones plans to hold those involved accountable, including Donocan Ezeiruaku.

“I think that you have to have consequences, and that needs to register,” Jones said as the Cowboys wrapped up their final training day. “We all know, whether you’re playing a game or out here in society, if you aren’t sensitive about the consequences of your behavior, then you’ll get brought to your knees pretty quick. This is something that, knowing him, I think he has the capability of being sensitive to consequences.”

“And our plan is, I haven’t confirmed that where he [Ezeiraku] is in the situation. But the players that are involved in it have the kind of infractions that they’re fining the club for certainly will receive fines.” 

During the recent joint practice with the Saints, the confrontation escalated after a Saints player forcefully chucked a Cowboys player’s helmet across the turf. Ezeiraku lost his cool and got into a fight with New Orleans’ Erik McCoy. What landed him in deep trouble was that he landed a punch in the fight, prompting his ejection.

Head coach Brian Schottenheimer wasn’t happy with the incident, calling it a “sloppy” day overall.

“Donovan is a very bright young man,” he said yesterday. “He understands that he can’t hurt the football team. Unfortunately for him, there’s two officiating crews that know he lost his composure. 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

Ezeiruaku was also ejected earlier in training camp for punching Dallas right tackle Terence Steele. Last year, he’d found himself on the bench during the season after getting into a fight with New York Giants’ Greg Van Roten.

Meanwhile, the Cowboys plan to appeal the league-issued fine. Jones described the penalty as “pretty stiff.” However, the fine seemed to make it a serious matter. And for Jones, the problem started with all levels of the club. The fine is simply a way for the league to try to control the situation from the very top. 

For now, Jones is making sure that message resonates across the locker room. The Cowboys hope to stamp out reckless penalties before the games begin to count in the win-loss column. And it starts by holding Ezeiraku and others financially accountable.