A heated altercation occurred during a crucial Week 18 matchup in the NFL, as the New Orleans Saints faced off against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The confrontation started in the second half when Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield took a hard hit from Saints safety Will Harris after a failed scramble. At the time, the Buccaneers were trailing 16-6, and Mayfield's late slide prompted an angry exchange with Harris, escalating into a brawl that saw punches thrown.

The scuffle seemed to energize Tampa Bay, as they responded by driving down the field, culminating in a touchdown pass from Mayfield to Payne Durham, narrowing the deficit to 16-13. With playoff implications hanging in the balance, the Buccaneers needed a win to secure the NFC South title, while a loss would allow the Atlanta Falcons to claim the division and the final playoff spot in the NFC.