A heated sideline brawl between the New York Giants and Las Vegas Raiders has become the centre of NFL headlines this week.
During their Week 17 matchup on December 28, 2025, Giants cornerback Ricko Payton and Raiders cornerback Chigozie Anusiem were involved in a violent altercation that escalated beyond typical game-day tension.
The incident began late in the second quarter when Payton shoved Anusiem out of bounds and into a row of Gatorade coolers on the Giants’ sideline.
Anusiem retaliated by tackling Payton to the ground leading to a wrestling match where both players appeared to throw punches.
Shocking fan-recorded footage later surfaced showing Payton appearing to stomp toward Anusiem’s helmet while he was still pinned to the turf.
Giants players quickly swarmed the area and while some tried to break it up, the scene remained chaotic until officials intervened.
The NFL is currently reviewing the video to determine discipline.
Both athletes face a standard fine of $40,686 for fighting but the league may issue suspensions due to the “stomping” nature of the play.
While the Giants walked away with a 34-10 victory to snap a nine-game losing streak, the win has been overshadowed by the league’s investigation into this sideline violence.
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