Video emerges of Sanders-Sutton fight at Broncos Camp

Similarly to the fog of war, the game of football can bring it's own kind of mental and emotional murkiness at times. Throw in some roster politics and perhaps a brewing resentment at the top of the wide receiver depth chart, and it can be a tinder box waiting to explode.

Such was the case for the Denver Broncos during Monday's practice, as the team's top-two wideouts — Emmanuel Sanders and Courtland Sutton — got into a fight.

Fisticuffs were thrown by the two teammates, though it didn't appear that any of the punches landed. Sanders could be heard hollering at Sutton, "You haven't proved s**t in this league!" by those in attendance.

Big offensive guard Ronald Leary had to be the one to step in and pull Sutton away to break it up. It was an ugly scene, as seen below in the video that has since surfaced.

Nine times out of 10, when a fight erupts at training camp, it's between a defensive and offensive player. Almost never is it between two offensive players, and even rarer still, two teammates from the same position group.

After practice, head coach Vic Fangio — who called the team together following the scuffle to re-center the players — spoke about the spat.

"It's not good," Fangio said. "[It] can't happen. [It] shouldn't happen."

There might not be a good excuse for the two wideouts to throw down with one another, but there is a logical explanation. When the Broncos convened for the very first stage of OTAs back in April, Courtland Sutton made headlines by anointing himself the No. 1 receiver.

"I’m excited going into this season knowing that I am going to get to be the No. 1 and I’ll get all of [those] looks and all of the pressure," Sutton said on April 2. "I’m excited about that. I want my teammates to look to me as that leader and that guy that is going to assume that role and take it and go with it as long as I possibly can."

To an established multi-year Pro Bowler like Emmanuel Sanders, that comment was likely a shot across the bow that he took personally, though the veteran never mentioned it publicly. It wasn't the only time Sutton talked about being the Broncos' WR1 this offseason.

While we don't know exactly what sparked the fight, what Sanders said in anger to Sutton on Monday is basically true. Sutton hasn't proven anything in the NFL, yet.

Meanwhile, Sanders is in his 10th year as a pro and his resume is nothing to sneeze at. Sanders has three 1,000-yard receiving seasons, and five seasons with at least 65 receptions. He's been to the Pro Bowl twice and contributed to a World Championship in 2015.

Sutton's got one year under his belt and as encouraging as he was at times, he proved down the stretch that he was absolutely not ready to be a No. 1 wide receiver. That doesn't mean he's not equipped to be the top guy, he just wasn't ready as a rookie.

When Sanders went down with an Achilles injury ahead of Week 14, Sutton was thrust into the No. 1 role, which meant he drew the No. 1 cornerback on the opposing team. He was basically shut down the final quarter of the season, hauling in two or less receptions in two of those final four games.

Confidence is one thing. Sutton absolutely has that. But he still needs to master the nuance of the position and prove it out on the field of play. That simply hasn't happened yet, and Sanders is pointing it out.

Meanwhile, if Sutton is encroaching on territory Sanders perceives to be his, or trying to usurp his role, it's understandable why it would stick in the veteran's craw. Following practice, both players avoided media, with Sutton jogging to the locker room through the back entrance and Sanders calmly walking to the front, professionally declining to comment on what happened earlier.

Hopefully, the two can squash whatever beef is between them because it's the epitome of unseemly for two teammates from the same room to have a physical altercation during practice.

Only time will tell, however. One thing's for sure; if Courtland Sutton wants to the Broncos' No. 1 WR, he'll have to dethrone Emmanuel Sanders first.

So far, that hasn't happened, even though Sutton has been talking like it has.

Follow Chad on Twitter @ChadNJensen.

Add us as a preferred source on Google