Football players Xavier Legette from the Panthers and Rayshawn Jenkins from the Browns were expelled from the game due to a brawl.
Carolina Panthers Wide Receiver Xavier Legette Ejected in Preseason Opener
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Xavier Legette was ejected from the team's preseason opener against the Cleveland Browns following an altercation with Browns safety Rayshawn Jenkins. The incident occurred during the Panthers' first preseason game of the season, which took place in Charlotte, North Carolina [1][3].
Legette, a second-year player for the Panthers, was selected in the first round (final pick) of the 2024 NFL Draft by the team. In his rookie season, he played in 16 games with 13 starts, catching 49 passes for 497 yards and scoring 4 touchdowns [4].
The altercation began during a run play when Legette continued blocking Jenkins after the whistle, leading to a physical confrontation where Legette threw multiple punches and Jenkins ripped off Legette's helmet [2][4]. It appears that Jenkins, who played for the Browns in the 2025 preseason game, threw one punch in retaliation [1].
Following the incident, Legette publicly apologized to Panthers fans for his actions, acknowledging it wouldn’t happen again and that he understands he made a mistake [1][2][5]. Panthers head coach Dave Canales rebuked Legette’s behavior but noted the receiver was finishing his play with hands on as taught before the punches were thrown [1].
Legette and coach Canales had a productive discussion after the incident, with Legette committing to managing his emotions better and focusing on his performance. The team expects him to be ready for upcoming games, including a preseason matchup against the Texans [1][3][4].
Prior to joining the Panthers, Jenkins spent the first four seasons of his career with the Los Angeles Chargers and the previous three seasons with the Seattle Seahawks [6]. In 122 career games (89 starts), Jenkins has 10 interceptions and 517 tackles [7]. Despite the ejection, Jenkins did not record an interception with the Seahawks in the 2024 season, but he returned a fumble 102 yards for a touchdown and tallied two sacks, marking his first multi-sack season [8].
[1] ESPN, "Carolina Panthers' Xavier Legette ejected for altercation with Cleveland Browns' Rayshawn Jenkins", 2025 [2] NFL.com, "Xavier Legette ejected from Panthers' preseason opener", 2025 [3] Fox Sports, "Panthers' Xavier Legette ejected in preseason opener", 2025 [4] CBS Sports, "Xavier Legette ejected from Panthers' preseason game", 2025 [5] Sports Illustrated, "Xavier Legette apologizes for ejection", 2025 [6] NFL.com, "Rayshawn Jenkins signs with Cleveland Browns as free agent", 2025 [7] NFL.com, "Rayshawn Jenkins' career stats", 2025 [8] Pro Football Reference, "Rayshawn Jenkins' 2024 season stats", 2025
- In the preseason matchup against the Cleveland Browns, Xavier Legette, a player on the Carolina Panthers' American football team, was ejected after an altercation.
- Legette, a second-year NFL player who joined the Panthers in the 2024 draft, scored four touchdowns in his rookie season, solidifying his role as a key figure in the team's offense.
- The incident occurred during a run play, where Legette, continuing to block his opponent even after the whistle, led to a physical confrontation.
- Despite the ejection, the Panthers expect Legette, who will face the Texans in a future preseason game, to manage his emotions and focus on maintaining his performance.
