WATCH: Kyzir White's massive hit on Sam Howell results in huge brawl between Commanders and Cardinals players
Sam Howell got a rude welcome to the 2023 NFL season in the Washington Commanders' Week 1 clash with the Arizona Cardinals. In the first quarter of the game, the young quarterback rolled out of the pocket toward the left sideline.
After getting back to about the line of scrimmage, he appeared to surrender on the play and began to step out of bounds. Apparently, Cardinals defender Kyzir White wasn't going to let Howell off so easily. White blasted the quarterback with a brutal hit right as he crossed the line to get out of bounds.
Watch how the whole situation played out below:
Not only was Kyzir White's hit on Sam Howell extremely violent, but it was also illegal. He was immediately flagged for unnecessary roughness, a personal foul penalty that rewarded the Commanders with 15 yards and an automatic first down.
Such an aggressive hit can sometimes warrant an ejection from the game, but the officials opted not to do so with White.
Immediately following the illegal hit, a fight broke out along the sidelines. It started when some of the Commanders' offensive players came to avenge Sam Howell.
They initially took aim at Kyzir White in retaliation, which then set off a chain reaction. Cardinals players quickly jumped into the scuffle, and not before long, both teams were fully engaged.
When the dust settled and the officials were able to break up the fight, luckily, nobody was reported to be injured. Sam Howell briefly left the game to recover from the shot he took but was able to return after a quick break.
This is a relief for the Commanders, as Howell is expected to be their full-time starting quarterback for the first time in his career. He was selected by the Washington Commanders during the 2022 NFL draft last year.
Will Kyzir White be penalized for his illegal hit on Sam Howell?
Kyzir White was flagged for an unnecessary roughness, personal foul penalty for his late hit against Washington Commanders' quarterback Sam Howell. He cost the Arizona Cardinals 15 yards and surrendered an automatic first down for the opposing offense.
While the referees didn't choose to eject him for the illegal hit, he could still potentially face further penalties from the NFL's front office. They review every play from every game during each week of the season, often paying extra attention to players who were penalized for illegal hits.
The NFL can send out fines or suspensions to any player, whether or not they were ejected, or even penalized. It will be up to the league's discretion if it decides to punish Kyzir White further.