Fisticuffs broke out between members of New York's police and fire departments during the annual NYPD-FDNY charity football game on Sunday.
A video posted online shows dozens of players brawling and yelling curses at the end of the game at MCU Park on Coney Island.
"They hit our quarterback out of bounds, and that’s how things started," FDNY coach Steve Orr
told the New York Post. "There were a lot of hotheads there."
After the tackle, members of the FDNY team rushed across the field, where a skirmish took place on the sidelines before a second fight erupted in the middle of the field.
Firefighter Tom Slane was seen with a torn jersey and bloodied face and ear, which was still red and swollen the next day, according to the Post.
"I heard it happening before I saw it happening," freelance photographer Angel Zayas
told NBC New York.
He said words were exchanged between a FDNY Bravest player and a NYPD Finest player before other players circled around them. When the fighting ended, players were seen exchanging handshakes and hugs.
"At the end, they were all talking, it was like water under the bridge," Zayas told NBC New York.
The NYPD dismissed the melee, saying in a statement. "Football is a competitive sport, whether it is the NFL Super Bowl or the annual NYPD-FDNY challenge. It is part of the spirit of the sport, but it all ends on the field."
Officials let the clock run out with NYPD leading 29-13.
Zayas
told Brooklyn Daily that officials told him not to post video of the brawl.
"It’s the biggest game of the year for both teams, and it’s obviously a big rivalry," said Mike Serna, who runs an NYPD football website. "On the field, they don’t like each other, but off the field, we’re all brothers — they go out together and have after-parties."
The 44th annual matchup raised money for the police Widows’ & Children’s Fund and the fire department’s Fire Family Transport Foundation.
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