New Orleans Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore (23) and safety Marcus Maye (6) get into a penalty with Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans (13) and they are ejected after the play during the second half at Caesars Superdome. Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

Bucs' Mike Evans: Saints' Marshon Lattimore got 'too emotional' leading to on-field brawl

By Mike Santa Barbara | Last updated Sep 18, 2022 9:23 PM ET

On Sunday, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers visited the New Orleans Saints, and to no one's surprise, things got heated between the two NFC South rivals.

With both teams tied 3-3 early in the fourth quarter, tempers flared between old pals, Saints' cornerback Marshon Lattimore and Bucs' wideout Mike Evans.

After throwing an incomplete pass, Bucs' quarterback Tom Brady ran toward an official calling for pass interference on the play before encountering Lattimore. As the two exchanged words, Evans ran toward Lattimore, knocking him hard to the ground to spark an all-out brawl.

Both Lattimore and Evans were ejected from the game.

This is the fight that got #GoBucs WR Mike Evans and #Saints CB Marshon Lattimore kicked out of the game. pic.twitter.com/T2GLYlcvKn
— Evan Winter (@evan_winterAtoZ) September 18, 2022

After the game, Evans explained how and why things went down the way they did. Evans called Lattimore "super competitive" but added the Saints corner was "too emotional" on Sunday.

"You don't throw punches at guys on the field," Evans told Jeff Darlington of ESPN. "He threw a punch at Lenny [Bucs RB Leonard Fournette], and I can't let that happen to my teammates. So I shoved him ... turned into a brawl."

Sunday's incident wasn't the first altercation between Evans and Lattimore, as the two have had several run-ins over the years.

Evans-Lattimore Round 1, 2017 pic.twitter.com/80KfKfXABi
— Rodger Sherman (@rodger) September 18, 2022

We'll have to wait and see if Evans or Lattimore will receive any discipline from the league after their skirmish Sunday. However, both players likely have Week 13 circled on their calendars. The Buccaneers and Saints will meet again for a nationally televised contest on Monday, Dec. 5.

Mike Santa Barbara

Mike Santa Barbara is a Wilmington, Delaware native (Yes, it's a real place) with over a decade of sports writing experience. A diehard Philadelphia sports fan, he has two dogs named after Flyers and cried real tears when the Eagles won Super Bowl LII. You can follow him on Twitter at @mike__sb

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