Aqib Talib, Steve Smith Get Into Heated Scuffle During First Quarter of Monday Night Football (GIF)

The battle between Aqib Talib and Steve Smith was hyped for a reason.

Talib, who has been sidelined for the past three weeks with a lingering hip injury, returned to the gridiron on Sunday and he returned with a vengeance.

Matching up with Carolina’s wide receiver, the two wasted no time getting reacquainted as the New England cornerback showed no interest in letting go of Smith’s leg after a reception during the first quarter. In addition to getting called for a 15-yard penalty on the play, the extracurricular activity also resulted in a skirmish as plenty of players from both teams rushed over.

Check out the play in the GIF below.

GIF via SB Nation