During the latter part of the first half, tensions escalated between Washington Commanders receiver Curtis Samuel and New York Giants cornerback Cor’Dale Flott, resulting in their ejection after a pushing altercation on the sidelines following a Commanders touchdown. The incident unfolded when Commanders quarterback Sam Howell was forcefully brought down at the conclusion of an 8-yard touchdown run. The manner in which the play concluded did not sit well with Washington’s players, leading to a physical confrontation between Samuel and Flott, prompting officials to intervene and issue ejections. Notably, no punches were thrown during the altercation.
As a starting slot cornerback for New York, Flott’s absence will likely see Damay Holmes taking his place, while the Commanders may turn to receiver Byron Pringle to fill in for the ejected Samuel. Samuel, who ranked third on the team with 38 receptions, had a relatively subdued first half, securing only one pass for 5 yards.
The incident occurred with 1:30 remaining in the first half when Howell, in a scramble up the middle, faced a three-pronged defensive effort as he crossed the goal line. Due to uncertainty regarding whether Howell successfully reached the end zone, he continued moving laterally to the left. Safety Xavier McKinney played a role in pushing Howell out of bounds, causing him to be evaluated for a concussion. However, Howell returned to play in the subsequent series.
Additionally, Washington faced a setback earlier in the game as backup defensive end Efe Obada suffered a leg injury and had to be carted off the field during the first quarter.
