The Michael Crabtree-Aqib Talib rivalry reached a new level as both players were ejected following fight in Raiders-Broncos game

Ben Margot/AP

• Michael Crabtree and Aqib Talib were ejected at the start of Sunday’s game between the Raiders and Broncos after trading blows.
• The fight broke into an all-out brawl after players from both teams rushed in to defend their teammates.
• Crabtree and Talib have a history with each other, stemming from an incident between the players last season.

Michael Crabtree and Aqib Talib were ejected five minutes into Sunday’s game between the Denver Broncos and the Oakland Raiders after the two came to blows after a play. The fight led to a much larger scuffle between the teams.

The brawl started after Crabtree aggressively blocked Talib on a running play, pushing the defender long after the two had run out of bounds and the play was dead. From there, a few smaller fights broke out as players from both squads rushed in to protect their teammates.

Crabtree lost his helmet and threw a few wild swings before being quelled. Raiders’ guard Gabe Jackson was also ejected once the dust settled.

You can watch the chaos unfold below.

Crabtree and Talib have a history with each other that is likely the source of the bad blood between the players. Last season, Talib snatched a chain off of Crabtree’s neck, prompting Crabtree to confront him on the field.

As things calmed down on the field, Marshawn Lynch took it upon himself to escort Talib off the field.

With the Chiefs unexpectedly losing earlier in the day to the Bills, the Broncos-Raiders matchup suddenly had an extra bit of importance in the race for the AFC West. Now both teams will have to finish it out without one of their best players.