USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Carol City players don’t agree with the team’s harsh punishment.
Last week, Carol City players got into a brawl after losing to Grayson in Georgia. A viral ideo shows several Carol City players pummeling a Grayson player on the ground.
This had been boiling over all night.
Some postgame fireworks in Grayson vs. Miami Carol City. https://t.co/NTycgQNlaN
— Benjamin Wolk (@benjaminwolk) October 3, 2026
The FHSAA, which governs high school football in Florida, suspended several Carol City players and banned the team from the playoffs this season.
Via ON3
In the announced sanctions handed to the Chiefs, the FHSAA has suspended 15 unnamed players, placed the program on a Restrictive Probation, including restriction from participation in postseason competition for the 2026-27 school year and a $1,500 fine ($100 per athlete) for partaking in the altercation that took place in the handshake line after the one-point loss to the Rams. Miami Carol City plans to appeal the penalties to the FHSAA today ahead of the Miami Northwestern (Fla.) game this week.
Via the players’ suspensions, four were suspended for the rest of the season, nine for five games and two others for one contest, per the sanctions letter from the FHSAA.
On Friday night, Chiefs players were seen holding up “Free Carol City” shirts to protest the ban against them.
Miami Carol City with #FreeCarolCity shirts after being suspended from the postseason due to a brawl against Grayson. https://t.co/SPcednlQIp
— TrintonBreeze (@TrintonBreeze) October 9, 2026