Falcons rookie linebacker Jacques Smith, who gained notice for his practice fights with offensive linemen featured on HBO’s “Hard Knocks,” was ejected from the exhibition game against Tennessee on Saturday.
Smith was penalized in the aftermath of Tennessee’s successful two-point conversion run in the fourth quarter. Smith appeared to tangle with Titans defenders after making the tackle.
The debut episode of this year’s “Hard Knocks” highlighted Smith’s scraps in practice with linemen Joe Hawley, Ryan Schraeder and Lamar Holmes.
“You hear that (bleeping) rookie?” Hawley told his fellow linemen after a confrontation with Smith. “He got in my face. He called me out.”
Smith eventually came to blows with Schraeder, who delivered several punches to the side of Smith’s helmet.
Smith later told HBO’s cameras that he wouldn’t back down from any of the linemen.