FIGHT! Falcons, Jets Involved in Joint Practice Dust-Up
The Atlanta Falcons and New York Jets are looking to bounce back after disappointing 2021 seasons that saw the teams picking inside of the top 10 picks in the NFL Draft.
With Monday night's preseason contest looming, the Falcons and Jets are holding joint practices in New Jersey, the first of which came Friday.
It took all of 15 minutes for the teams to have their first dust-up, and whatever message was sent afterwards clearly didn't get through, as a larger scuffle ensued just five minutes.
On the heels of multiple brawls between the Panthers and Patriots in their joint practices, Falcons head coach Arthur Smith made it clear that Atlanta will not tolerate fights in Florham Park.
“I’m only concerned with our team,” Smith said after Thursday's practice. “When you’re competing against another team, you can’t fight in the game. It’s not tolerated. Somebody gets heated, does it, there’s got to be consequences.”
Smith stressed a similar message after a fight broke out in one of Atlanta's first training camp practices, as the team ejected defensive tackle Jalen Dalton, implementing game-rules to the practice. Smith said he'll carry a similar mindset to New Jersey, though no players have been tossed as of writing.
"I don’t know how to enforce it other than (ejections),” Smith said. “Do you have somebody who’s got a problem? An emotional-control problem, that’s probably somebody who you don’t want on the field in real games, either, because they’ll be a liability. You get off the field on third down, and they get a personal foul. It usually goes hand in hand.”
The fights didn't stop with the video above, as Jets defensive end Bradlee Anae threw punches at a Falcons offensive lineman, bringing the practice to a halt as each team cools down and re-focuses.
Smith arrived in Florham Park hoping for a productive, uneventful practice, but the first of two has been anything but.
The two teams are set to meet in a game setting Monday night at 8 p.m. on ESPN.
