'Disrespectful': NFL teammates turn on each other in ugly loss

Washington Football Team teammates Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne got into a heated altercation on the sideline during a 56-14 thrashing at the hands of the Dallas Cowboys on Monday (AEDT).

Washington started the game poorly and tempers boiled over on the sideline as they trailed the Cowboys 28-7 early in the second quarter.

‘MUST SEE TV’: NFL team scrambles to find kicker

‘TRAUMATISING’: Quarterback taken to hospital after scary play

Allen and Payne were captured on the Sunday Night Football broadcast engaging in a heated exchange of words, before Payne escalated the situation by pushing his finger into Allen’s head.

Allen took exception to the gesture, launching to his feet to throw a right-handed punch at Payne. Payne manage to dodge the shot and the pair were then separated by teammates and defensive line coach Sam Mills III.

Despite the exchange, both Allen and Payne returned to the field later in the game and lined up on Washington’s defensive line together.

The incident caused quite a stir amongst NFL pundits on social media, with many not afraid to share their views.

Addressing the incident when speaking to reporters post game, Washington head coach Ron Rivera said he found out about the altercation after the fact.

“I had no idea about that,” Rivera said.

“I was told about it later after it had happened and I’ve talked to both of them.

“What my players say to me is really nobody’s business.”

Altercation fuelled by frustration amid NFL drubbing

Rivera said he felt the skirmish between Allen and Payne was indicative of the team’s frustration at a three-game losing streak which has seen their playoff hopes slip away in recent weeks.

“It’s frustration, wanting to win, having an opportunity for the last few weeks and not being able to get it done,” Rivera said.

“Not being able to have all the pieces in place that you need to be able to go out there and play together.

“That’s what that is. That’s guys wanting to compete, wanting to win more than anything else.”

Allen and Payne have been teammates in the U.S. capital for four seasons and also played college football together at Alabama. Both players were first round draft picks, with Allen taken in 2017 and Payne a year later.

Rivera said it was ‘disappointing’ that Washington had been unable to handle the adversity that had come their way.

“If you look at the things that have happened in the last couple of weeks, we’ve dealt with a lot, but that’s football, that’s life,” Rivera said.

“You’re going to deal with a lot in life. How you handle it, though, that’s the important thing.

“We didn’t handle it very well tonight, that’s disappointing.”

Click here to sign up to our newsletter for all the latest and breaking stories from Australia and around the world.