A Dallas Cowboys player was kicked out of practice on Wednesday after he shoved an opposing team’s staffer to the ground, and head coach Mike McCarthy says the situation has been addressed.
A video went viral on Wednesday that showed Cowboys defensive tackle Albert Huggins shoving a Los Angeles Rams staffer to the ground during a 1-on-1 drill. The staff member, who is a college-age intern, was serving as the simulated quarterback and standing in the “pocket” during the drill, according to Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic.
Rams not happy about Cowboys DT Albert Huggins knocking down a member of their staff pic.twitter.com/QxAWpKEt1I
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) August 14, 2024
Players on both sides seemed like they did not know how to react to the stunt from Huggins, probably because it was so absurd. The Cowboys’ coaching staff kicked Huggins off the practice field immediately after.
On Thursday, McCarthy called Huggins’ behavior “unacceptable” but said he is satisfied with the 27-year-old’s apology.
“Obviously, his behavior is unacceptable. It’s something that’s been addressed,” McCarthy said. “He has apologized and I’m comfortable with his apology. I was obviously on the offensive side of the field when it happened. I had a chance to talk to (Cowboys defensive coordinator) Mike Zimmer and Sean McVay. When it did happen, we removed him from practice.
“Frankly when I saw the video a few hours later after the practice, I called Sean again. His response was, ‘You’d have been proud of the way your coaches reacted.’ I just want to make sure that behavior is unaccepted.”
Mike McCarthy was not pleased with Albert Huggins unnecessary hit on a Rams staffer during pass rush drills on Wednesday. His reaction: pic.twitter.com/Qr13IbZdgj
— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) August 15, 2024
Some have called for Huggins to be suspended or even more, but it does not sound like the Cowboys are planning any further disciplinary action.
Huggins first entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Houston Texans in 2019. The 305-pound former Clemson tackle has bounced around to several teams since. Huggins appeared in 13 games for the Atlanta Falcons last season and had 22 tackles and two quarterback hits.
