Jenkins Leaves Joint Practice After Fights
CINCINNATI – Elgton Jenkins had a shorter day than his teammates during Wednesday’s joint practices between the Green Bay Packers and Cincinnati Bengals.
During an 11-on-11 period, Jenkins leveled linebacker Germaine Pratt on a screen. A couple moments later, Pratt shoved Jenkins and it was on.
For about a minute, Green Bay’s offense and Cincinnati’s defense took turns pushing and shoving each other. Aaron Jones tried to play peacemaker to no avail. Finally, cooler heads prevailed. Left tackle David Bakhtiari enjoyed a brief chat with Bengals defensive back Mike Hilton before the drill continued with Yosh Nijman in for David Bakhtiari and Royce Newman in for Jenkins.
“Elgton totally was in the right the first time,” Bakhtiari said. “I’m not going to say otherwise. You’ve got to protect yourself. Emotions get high. I know he’ll never do it in the game, he’s never done that in the game. So, the practice, it’s a little bit different. You know you shouldn’t, but you also know there’s no consequences.”
Pratt took it all in stride.
“There’s going to be a little bit of hair on fire just wanting to get after another opponent,” he said.
After a special teams period, it again was an 11-on-11 drill between the starters. On the first play, as Jones ran to the left for a gain of 6, Jenkins and defensive tackle D.J. Reader started jawing at each other. Finally, Jenkins smacked Reader in the face.
Shortly thereafter, Jenkins was escorted off the field by Grey Ruegamer, the Packers' director of player engagement.
Jenkins was not available to reporters afterward but did post on Twitter.
While Reader was upset, Bakhtiari was his typical, jovial self.
What triggered the first fight?
“I think he gave him the wrong pie recipe or something like that and he was pissed off,” Bakhtiari said.
Blame for the first fight depends on who you asked. Not so much for the second.
“It’s my boy, seven-four,” Bakhtiari said. “I told those guys I’m going to be standing in the background. But, Elgton’s my guy, I’ve got to go protect him on that. I just remember getting up and [Bengals defensive end Trey] Hendrickson and me were like, ‘Rochambeau, loser, has to own up to this fight.’ I won. I threw scissors, he threw paper. He had to admit in front of his defense that they started the fight and it was their fault. And then the second one I was like, ‘I’m not even going to Rochambeau. That’s on us.’”
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