Josh Allen’s protector ‘enjoyed punching’ rookie in face after late hit at Bills training camp

Aug 5, 2026 - 17:45

There’s nothing like tempers flaring at an NFL training camp to signal that football is truly back.

It is not uncommon for heated altercations to occur among teammates when preparing for a new NFL season.

Anderson took matters into his own hands

Buffalo Bills star quarterback Josh Allen not being on the end of any huge hits in training camp is a non-negotiable as any injury to the former NFL MVP would be devastating.

On Tuesday, though, reports suggested that things got heated on the field during a routine practice play which turned sour, as things quickly escalated into a brawl.

Bills offensive lineman Alec Anderson went to war for teammate Dalton Kincaid in practice when he was on the end of a late hit from rookie linebacker Kaleb Elarms-Orr after making a catch.

“I was in on that last one when Dalton got hit,” Anderson told the media after practice, via Buffalo Plus’ Dan Fetes. “We had a nice little scuffle, shout out to the rookie, Kaleb.“

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Although Kincaid quickly got back up after being knocked down by Elarms-Orr, the fourth-round NFL Draft pick out of TCU reportedly leveled the tight end back again, per The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia.

This is what prompted the offense to get involved and kickstarted the brawl.

“I didn’t enjoy him hitting our guy after the whistle, but I enjoyed punching him in the face a couple times and choking him out,” Anderson added. “So, that’s always enjoyable.

“It was great. … Really gets the blood pumping, everything flowing. I just like going out there and being able to hear the pads thud, and every now and then a fight happens.

“It kind of builds the resiliency and the grittiness of the team, and I think that we need that.”

Right tackle Spencer Brown weighed in and stated that Kincaid, like Allen, is hugely integral to the offense, so putting him at any risk of injury before the start of the season is a no-go.

Bills TE Kincaid catching a football in practice — The altercation ensued after TE Dalton Kincaid was on the end of a late hit by rookie LB Elarms-Orr

Anderson (L) was forced to intervene and used it to teach his rookie teammate a lesson

“Dalton is my boy. You never want to see that happen,” Brown said. “He’s important in the offense. So, you wanna take care of him.

“But the flip side of it, I don’t mind seeing a little p*** and vinegar coming out of the rookies,” he added.

Elarms-Orr playing for a starting role

Elarms-Orr was clearly just trying to make an impression on his coaches as he bids to make the final 53-man roster and showcase his talent in the NFL.

“I was just running to the ball, people said he already went down but I didn’t see him go down,” Elarms-Orr stated.

“I was in my drop and I saw him spin and I thought he was still up and I just hit him.”

First-year head coach Joe Brady – who has already had to have words with C.J. Gardner Johnson after he was live-streaming at camp – was not left too impressed, with reports stating that he was seen having words with his rookie linebacker afterwards.

Elarms-Orr is fighting for his spot on the 53-man roster

He is also trying to showcase that he deserves to be named a starter in Week 1

But he has shown that he has a physical edge and can be aggressive, which would be a huge asset when playing against an opposing team instead of his own teammates in a practice setting.

There is optimism, though, that Elarms-Orr may not just make it onto the final 53-man roster, but also earn a coveted starting spot due to an injury to Dorian Williams.

This is something he has previously been vocal about being his goal since his arrival to the team.

“I wanna be the starter Week 1; I want to earn it,” he said back in June, via NBC News’ Ian Mills.

“I want to be a guy who comes in and earns everyone’s respect and the coaches’ respect. Not only the respect, but the trust, and the ability to be the guy Week 1.”