Giants TE Even Engram has accused Cowboys safety Jayron Kearse of punching him after last week’s game

More fall out from a very chippy Cowboys and Giants game.

The Dallas Cowboys soundly defeated the New York Giants last week and it was unfortunately a game that involved a number of injuries. Both Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley (among other injuries for the G-Men) exited the game for New York for different injuries and it goes without saying that we are wishing them a speedy recovery. The Cowboys have rivals, but we want all players to remain healthy and perform at their best so that we have the best possible product on the field to watch.

Another exit during the game came from Giants rookie wide receiver Kadarius Toney who just about had his way with the Cowboys defense. Toney was ejected after throwing a punch towards Damontae Kazee, but according to Giants tight end Evan Engram that was not the only punch thrown at the game. Engram alleges that he was punched by Jayron Kearse after the game and during postgame handshakes.

Cowboys safety Jayron Kearse punched Giants tight end Evan Engram in the face during handshakes on the field after the game was over, sources told the Daily News.

“I was pushing him around the whole game, so he was probably just mad about that,” Engram told the News on Wednesday. “It’s whatever.”

Engram said he didn’t punch back because Kearse had thrown “a little baby punch.” Plus, he didn’t want to get fined.

“There’s this thing the NFL does, they send out letters and they forcefully take money from you for acting up,” Engram said, tongue in cheek. “So I don’t need any of that. It was a little baby punch anyway. It was soft. So I definitely want to keep my money in my pocket. I’m good.”

If Engram is telling the truth then obviously Jayron Kearse would be in the wrong. Throwing punches shouldn’t happen at any point, let alone during postgame handshakes when the game is completely over and all that’s left is for pleasantries to be exchanged.

Here’s the thing, though. Since Engram accused Kearse of doing this, the proper protocol was followed which means the powers that be checked the tape and there is no footage of Jayron Kearse doing anything of the sort.

Fox executives deferred to the NFL when asked to supply video of the incident. The NFL told the Daily News to check with NFL Films. A league spokesman said that NFL Films employees checked and that there is no video of the incident in question.

Kearse has been a notable leader for the Cowboys so far this season so this alleged behavior seems out of character for him. What’s more is that Kearse exhibited a high level of sportsmanship near the end of the first half of the game when the aforementioned Daniel Jones was injured and appeared wobbly when getting up after being hit near the goal line. Kearse raced over to help Jones try to keep his feet. Engram’s accusation runs completely counter to that type of character.

While there is again absolutely zero evidence to support Engram’s claim, his teammates are believing what he said despite having zero evidence themselves.

“I wish I would have been there,” said right guard Will Hernandez, who didn’t see the Kearse punch when it happened. “But I heard about it afterwards. They told me. You know what? It’s great, because we play them again.”

Engram said he and Kearse had approached each other to jaw when the clock hit zeroes. Then Kearse took it a step too far.

“I walked up on him. He walked up on me kinda, saying some stuff. He threw the punch,” Engram said. “We had some guys there that separated us, so it was kind of boom, boom.

“He stole one off, and everybody was there to separate us. So I kinda just let it go,” he added. “I dapped up some of my old coaches and friends on the other side [afterward] and went into the locker room.”

This was a chippy game between two rivals so it makes sense for things to have been a little tense, but it is hard to see something like this happening after the game is completely over and specifically happening to the point that there is no way to corroborate Engram’s claim. NFL Films has cameras everywhere. That they couldn’t provide even a modicum of evidence to back Engram’s accusation seemingly says a lot.

What’s more is that the Giants themselves had a handful of dirty moments throughout the contest that were actually caught on camera. Leonard Williams ripped off Tony Pollard’s helmet and near the very end of the game Will Hernandez (who is quoted as supporting Engram above) ripped off Tarrell Basham’s on what was literally the final play of the game when everything was well over.

Of course there is also the Kadarius Toney incident as mentioned and what’s interesting is before Toney even throws a punch Kearse can be seen shoving Engram after Engram himself shoves Damontae Kazee.

In fact this entire incident (speaking to Toney’s incident) was ignited by Evan Engram getting physical first. He shoves Kazee and Kearse rushes to the aid of his teammate just before Toney gets up (clearly upset after the way he was thrown to the ground) and gets involved himself.

The Dallas Cowboys will visit the New York Giants in December and it stands to reason that both teams will remember their own versions of what happened.