Joint practices are out of control when a guy like Jameis Winston, viewed as being easygoing on the field, is throwing punches and getting decked in the middle of a brawl.
Tempers have been flaring around as many teams are practicing against each other ahead of preseason games.
Winston was at the center of a fight between the New York Giants and Miami Dolphins on Thursday.
The Dallas Cowboys and the New Orleans Saints were by the NFL after a brawl-filled joint practice Tuesday.
There were between the San Francisco 49ers and Tennessee Titans last week that led to two players from each team being tossed out of practice.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not a game, so you don鈥檛 have the same, quite, guardrails on it,鈥� Giants coach John Harbaugh said. 鈥淎nd it鈥檚 a violent game. And so, in this sort of an environment, you have these rules of engagement that aren鈥檛 really rules of the game. And then somebody perceives somebody else goes over the line, or they do go over the line, and somebody needs to protect somebody, and that鈥檚 where it goes. And I think as long as it doesn鈥檛 get out of control where we get a violent type of situation, it鈥檚 fine. We decided that anybody that threw a punch in those scrimmages would be treated like the game.”
The joint sessions have become the preferred way to give starters valuable repetitions in a competitive environment. Most coaches prefer to keep key starters or all their starters, in some cases, out of preseason games so facing opponents within a controlled setting has become a priority for most teams. Overall, 28 of 32 teams are holding joint practices this year.
Fights are not considered OK during joint practices
Coaches have warned their players about fighting, making it clear it鈥檚 disruptive and counterproductive.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 tolerate it,鈥� Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said. 鈥淭he way I explain it to the players, every time we do one of these 鈥� you have 90 teammates in camp. Now you鈥檝e got 180 teammates. We鈥檙e just working against each other. OK, they鈥檙e in a different jersey, a different helmet. We鈥檙e not here to fight. We鈥檙e here to get better as an individual and a team, and hopefully we鈥檒l all treat it that way.鈥�
Philadelphia held two joint sessions with the New England Patriots this week. There was one minor scuffle, prompting Eagles star running back Saquon Barkley to say: “I hate joint practices, to be honest.鈥�
鈥淢ore times than not nothing good comes out of it,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hen you have the work, it鈥檚 good, but then you get the pushing, the shoving and someone says this about you and it鈥檚 鈥業 don鈥檛 know about that but you鈥檙e this.鈥� It鈥檚 immature when you get to that level. I have to do a better job, too, because I鈥檓 a little troublemaker sometimes, but I was good this week.鈥�
Fights are inevitable considering players are going at each other, talking trash, grinding in the hot sun on humid days.
It takes plenty of discipline to show restraint.
鈥淚 love joint practices, being able to play in our defense, in our style against another team,鈥� Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker said. 鈥淵eah, the cons are fighting, but at the end of the day, we鈥檙e professionals. … As long as you can play the game at a high level and respect the other team, fights won鈥檛 happen.”
Respect a key to keeping joint workouts professional
Baker said teams are supposed to maintain the same etiquette in joint practices as they do against each other.
鈥淚f the ball is in the air and you see the receiver in a compromising position, and I鈥檓 coming downhill on the ball, I鈥檓 not going to hit him,鈥� Baker said. 鈥淚鈥檓 going to let him catch it and tap off. I might talk my little (trash) and tell him, 鈥榊ou probably wouldn鈥檛 have caught that.鈥� But you鈥檙e being a professional. You wouldn鈥檛 want to hurt your own teammates so you don鈥檛 want to hurt the opposing team in a practice.鈥�
Fights occur when players breach that etiquette or hit a quarterback.
“You should never get close to the QB,鈥� Baker said. 鈥淨uarterbacks are the most important position in football. Losing a quarterback in practice against another team 鈥� that’s something where fights will definitely happen.鈥�
The Cleveland Browns and Buffalo Bills were quite chippy during their joint practice but avoided fights. Browns coach Todd Monken said players are told they鈥檒l be tossed out of practice for throwing punches. In some cases, they might end up playing in the preseason game as punishment when they normally weren鈥檛 going to suit up.
鈥淭here has got to be an accountability and a discipline to what we do,鈥� Monken said. 鈥淏ut I also want the guys to have a mindset and a personality while they鈥檙e out there as well. It鈥檚 a fine line.鈥�
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AP Sports Writers David Brandt, Josh Dubow, Dan Gelston, John Wawrow and Stephen Whyno contributed.
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