Star Tennessee RB Fights Teammate After Cheap Shot at Senior Bowl

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Former Tennessee running back Star Thomas got into a scuffle with his own teammate, Oregon linebacker Bryce Boettcher, during pre-game warmups at the Panini Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama. After Boettcher delivered a hard hit on Thomas during a routine drill, Thomas retaliated by throwing a punch and spiking the football at Boettcher's helmet before teammates separated the two.

Why it matters

The Senior Bowl is a high-profile event for NFL draft prospects to showcase their skills in front of scouts, so any incidents of players fighting each other are frowned upon and could potentially hurt their draft stock. Thomas was a late addition to the Senior Bowl roster, so this incident may raise questions about his temperament and ability to keep his emotions in check.

The details

During a standard offense vs. defense warmup drill, Thomas took a half-speed carry up the middle of the field. As he neared the end of the run, Boettcher, Thomas's teammate, delivered a hard hit that knocked Thomas off his feet. Thomas refused Boettcher's help getting up and threw a right-handed hook. He then took the football and spiked it off Boettcher's helmet before their teammates stepped in to separate the two.

• The incident occurred on Saturday afternoon during pre-game warmups at the Panini Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama.
• Thomas was a late addition to the Senior Bowl roster, joining the event on Friday after the team practices on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.

What’s next

It remains to be seen if the incident will have any impact on Thomas's or Boettcher's draft stock, as NFL teams will likely want to understand the full context and both players' perspectives before making any judgments.