Half as many fights on Day 2 of Jets-Bucs practice

The Jets and Bucs toned it down -- a little -- after four fights broke out in Tuesday’s practice. There were only two major dust-ups on Wednesday that involved both sidelines rushing to get involved or break it up.

The first happened on the Tampa sideline after Isaiah Williams was brought down. Jets receiver Tim Patrick was hot and had to be restrained from going after outside linebacker Anthony Nelson.

Then Jets guard Dylan Parham and a Bucs defensive player were throwing punches on the field and it spilled over onto the Jets’ sideline. After it was settled and players lined up for the next play, Jets offensive coordinator Frank Reich screamed at both teams to “Play football!”

Parham sat out the next period of team competition but returned for the final one.

The decline in fights didn’t mean the issue wasn’t a distraction. 

“I was lining up for a play and I saw what was happening over there,” said Jets safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, who was on an adjacent field taking defensive reps. “It was a pretty big scuffle. I’m looking across the field and they’re about to snap the ball. But everybody hit pause for a second and reset.”

Fitzpatrick said his instinct was to rush over and have the backs of his teammates but ultimately he knew his job was to focus on the task directly in front of him.

“We had to lock in on our field and take care of our business,” he said. “Offense took care of themselves.”

With Tom Rock

By Al Iannazzone

al.iannazzone@newsday.comAl_Iannazzone

Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.