Could Aaron Donald get suspended for joint practice brawl?

Is a suspension on the table for Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald after he swung multiple helmets at Bengals players during a practice brawl?

Aaron Donald may have put the beginning of his 2022 season in jeopardy with his reckless actions at practice on Thursday.

During a joint practice between the Rams and Bengals, Donald got a hold of two Cincinnati helmets and started swinging them at players around him. Video showed him being shoved to the ground as the brawl came to an end.

Now the NFL world is wondering what kind of consequences could come down on Donald.

Could Aaron Donald get suspended for joint practice brawl?

The short answer is yes.

However, punishment would have to come from the Rams, not the NFL. The league tasks teams with overseeing the conduct of players at practice, per Tom Pelissero.

This could be an interesting case because it was a joint practice and the helmet swinging was directed at opposing players. The NFL might have more room to step in than they would under regular practice circumstances.

Heath Cummings found two instances of players being suspended for actions during practice: Martellus Bennett and Steve Smith. The Panthers suspended Smith for two games after breaking a teammate’s nose. The Bears suspended Bennett for six days, including a preseason game, after he slammed rookie receiver Kyle Fuller to the ground during practice.

Smith’s suspension resulted in an injury. The thing that might get Donald off the hook is that there appear to be no injuries from the helmet swings.

That may give LA an out, but it shouldn’t. Donald’s actions were dangerous, even if he avoided inflicting harm by accident. Letting him go without punishment would be a shame.

The Rams open the season on Sept. 8 against the Bills, so suspending Donald would have an impact on an important game. They play the Falcons in Week 2.