No one was ready for Friday night’s preseason clash between the Cleveland Browns and the Carolina Panthers. Midway through the first quarter, what started as a routine run for no gain by Chuba Hubbard suddenly turned into a heated sideline-worthy storyline. Panthers receiver Xavier Legette and Browns safety Rayshawn Jenkins just couldn’t let the play die with the whistle, and what followed had both the Dawg Pound and Panthers faithful on the edge of their seats.
Right after the whistle, Legette swung not once, but multiple times at the nine-year vet. Then Legette locked in low on Jenkins, arms wrapped around his legs, driving forward like the play was still alive. Jenkins clearly wasn’t having it. With a sharp forearm shove, he sent Legette sprawling to the turf. Then, in a flash, the Browns’ safety ripped off the receiver’s helmet while teammate Myles Harden rushed in to pull them apart—only for Panthers tackle Ikem Ekwonu to storm in and shove Harden back.
Officials had seen enough. Flags flew, tempers stayed hot, and after a long discussion, both were hit with offsetting unsportsmanlike conduct penalties before getting tossed from the game. Considering the Panthers and Browns had just spent the week in joint practices, it’s not a stretch to think this was brewing long before kickoff.
And for the fans? Social media lit up instantly.
The NFL world goes wild over Legette-Jenkins fight
It didn’t take long for the NFL world to lose its mind. Fans on social media wasted no time firing off their takes. “Who else parlayed Xavier Legette and Rayshawn Jenkins getting ejected in the 1Q?” one fan joked, capturing just how unexpected the scene was. Even Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski looked caught off guard. Cameras showed him glancing up at the scoreboard as if searching for a reply to explain the chaos. He didn’t look thrilled either, sharing a pointed exchange with the nine-year vet before Jenkins headed for the locker room.
Panthers WR Xavier Legette and Browns DB Rayshawn Jenkins were ejected for fighting in the first quarter of the teams’ preseason opener.
Legette threw multiple punches, while Jenkins yanked off Legette’s helmet. pic.twitter.com/WPePMxZxZR
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) August 8, 2025
Then came the personality takes. “You gotta be a messed up individual to piss off Xavier Legette,” one fan wrote. Another chimed in, “Xavier Legette been preparing all offseason for this moment,” referencing a clip of the Panthers wideout working on his boxing in the offseason.
However, fans might find a missing link as Legette had warned opponents back in June, telling SI, “I feel like we’re going to be a team that’s going to walk up on folks, they’re going to be a little nervous about us.” However, this is not what he meant, certainly.
Still, some fans found humor in the brawl. “Xavier Legette went for the three piece straight to the double leg ,” one post read, pointing to the moment he went low on Jenkins before losing his helmet. After things cooled off, Legette took to X with an apology for Panthers Nation, writing, “Panthers nation I apologize It want happen again i appreCiate youu all.”
Stats-wise, it was a rough night for both. In this game, neither made the box score — no catches for Legette, no tackles for Jenkins—before the ejections. The 24-year-old Legette, last year’s No. 32 overall pick, had 49 catches, 497 yards, and four touchdowns in his rookie season. Jenkins, 31, has eight NFL seasons under his belt, posting 53 tackles last year, including a 102-yard fumble return TD.
Of course, one fan had to flip the script: “Xavier Legette and Rayshawn Jenkins delivering the undercard while the main event is Shedeur Sanders .” The Browns’ new QB had the Dawg Pound buzzing, starting 5-for-10 for 33 yards before hitting Kaden Davis for a seven-yard TD to tie it up early in the second quarter.
But now, the question is what comes next. The league could easily hand down fines to both players, and there’s a chance neither sees another snap this preseason. For the Panthers and Browns, it’s the kind of distraction no coach wants—but for fans, it was unforgettable.
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