Alaric Jackson punches Bradley Chubb after Bills beat Rams
Key takeaways
- Rams tackle Alaric Jackson punched Bills linebacker Bradley Chubb after Monday night's game. TV cameras caught the moment.
- The punch came after Buffalo's 37-34 overtime win over Los Angeles at SoFi Stadium.
- Jackson now faces possible NFL discipline. A similar case this week drew a one-game ban.
Los Angeles Rams tackle Alaric Jackson punched Buffalo Bills linebacker Bradley Chubb after Monday night's game. It happened on the field after the final whistle. Television cameras caught the whole moment.
The punch came after a wild game. Buffalo beat Los Angeles 37-34 in overtime. The game was Monday Night Football on October 12, 2026.
It was played at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
Jackson now faces possible punishment from the NFL. The league has not announced a decision yet. But a similar case this week ended in a one-game suspension.
That case gives a clue about what could come next.
What happened
The game ended in overtime. Buffalo won 37-34. You can read how the game unfolded in our full result story.
It was a back-and-forth game that went to an extra period.
After the game, players met on the field. Many players swap jerseys after a game. It is a common sign of respect.
Jackson was in the middle of swapping jerseys with a Bills player.
Chubb was nearby. He was having a verbal exchange. That means the two men were talking in a heated way.
Jackson then followed Chubb. He threw a punch at him.
The punch hit Chubb in the head area. It knocked the hat off Chubb's head. Teammates from both sides rushed in.
They pulled the two men apart fast. No one else got involved.
Chubb walked away after the punch. He did not swing back. The moment was over in seconds.
But the cameras had it all. The clip spread fast on social media after the game.
Neither team talked much about the incident after the game. The Rams did not address it in public. The Bills did not address it either.
The story now moves to the NFL offices. The league will decide what happens next.
Why it matters
The NFL has strict rules about fighting. Players can be fined. They can also be suspended.
A suspension means a player misses games without pay. That is a big deal for a team.
Jackson plays left tackle. That is one of the most vital jobs on the field. The left tackle protects the quarterback's blind side.
The quarterback cannot see rushers from that side. Losing a starting left tackle hurts the whole attack.
The Rams are already in a tough spot. They fell to 2-3 with the loss. They started the season with high hopes.
They were seen as Super Bowl contenders. Now they sit below .500. They cannot afford to lose key players.
Jackson has been in trouble before. That makes this case bigger. The league looks at a player's past when it decides punishment.
A first-time case gets a lighter penalty. A repeat case gets a harsher one.
The timing also matters. The NFL just punished a similar case. San Francisco linebacker Dre Greenlaw was ejected from a game against Seattle.
He headbutted a player who was not wearing a helmet. The league gave Greenlaw a one-game suspension.
Our report on that Greenlaw suspension explains the rule the league used.
The rule covers acts that break the basic rules of sportsmanship. That is a wide rule. It can cover punches after the whistle.
Jackson's punch happened after the game was over. That fact could work against him.
What the punishment could be
The NFL has a fine scale for these acts. Heavy reported the numbers. A fine for striking can reach $12,537 for a first offence.
A second offence can reach $18,507.
But the league could call this fighting. That is a more serious label. A fighting fine can reach $41,907 for a first offence.
A second offence can reach $83,815. These are large sums. They show how seriously the league treats fights.
A suspension is also possible. Last season, Detroit safety Brian Branch punched Kansas City wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster after a game. Branch got a one-game suspension without pay.
That case is the closest match to Jackson's case. Both punches came after the final whistle.
The league could also choose a fine only. No decision had been announced when this story was written. The NFL often takes a day or two to review video.
It talks to both teams. Then it announces the penalty.
Jackson also has an off-field case hanging over him. He was arrested on June 9 on suspicion of felony domestic violence. That came after a confrontation at his home in the San Fernando Valley.
His case was assigned for a prefiling diversion. That is a program that may let him avoid criminal charges. The NFL has yet to announce a decision on possible league discipline for that case.
Jackson was also sued in 2025 by a woman. She alleged he recorded sexual acts with her on his phone without her consent. That case led to a suspension.
Jackson missed the first two games of the 2024 season. The league said it was for an undisclosed violation of its personal conduct policy.
These past cases do not decide this case. But they give context. The league will look at the full picture.
Jackson is in his fourth season as the Rams' starting left tackle. He joined the league as an undrafted free agent out of Iowa. That means no team picked him in the draft.
He earned his spot the hard way.
He won a Super Bowl ring as a backup lineman in February 2022. The Rams re-signed him to a three-year, $57 million deal in February 2025. That deal shows how much the team values him.
It also shows how much the team could lose if he misses games.
What happens next
The NFL will review the video. It will decide if Jackson gets a fine, a suspension, or both. An announcement could come this week.
The Rams play again soon. They need to know if their left tackle will be on the field.
The Rams also need to steady their season. They are 2-3. They have lost three games already.
They started the year as one of the top teams in the league. Now they must fight just to stay in the playoff race.
Buffalo moves on. The Bills won a tough road game. They showed they can win a close game on the road.
Their season stays on track. Chubb walked away after the punch.
This story is a reminder of how fast tempers can flare. The game was close. It went to overtime.
Emotions ran high. But the league draws a line at punches after the whistle. Jackson crossed that line on camera.
Now he must wait for the league's call.
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