Todd Bowles frowns upon fights in joint training camp
Head coach Todd Bowles of the Jets looks on during training camp at Atlantic Health Jets Training Center on Aug. 8, 2018, in Florham Park, New Jersey. Credit: Mike Stobe
RICHMOND, Va. — Joint training camp practices between NFL teams are notorious for producing brawls among hot, tired, cranky players, and the first of three between the Jets and Redskins here Sunday was no exception.
None was particularly serious, but two briefly got nasty. One even spilled into an area near fans. The fans seemed to enjoy it; Jets coach Todd Bowles very much did not.
“Intensity is good,” he said afterward. “Fights are not to be tolerated in pads. We’re not trying to fight them. They’re not trying to fight us. If they wanted to be boxers and wrestlers, they probably would be in another sport.
“I’ll talk to my guys. Coach [Jay] Gruden will talk to his guys, and we’ll have better practices tomorrow, because that’s just a waste of time to me.”
The most contentious scraps involved the Jets’ defense against the Redskins’ offense. During one skirmish, Redskins defensive players left what they were doing against the Jets’ offense and moved toward the adjacent field to see what was going on.
Several Redskins said they were not surprised. Their last joint practices, against the Texans in 2015, were full of scuffles.
Rain-shortened
Rain cut the workout short by about 15 minutes. The teams are set to practice Monday morning and could find tricky, muddy footing. The Redskins’ facility does not have an indoor field.
Injury list
RB Isaiah Crowell suffered a concussion against the Falcons on Friday and did not make the trip. OT Kelvin Beachum and DT Steve McLendon also are not here because of injuries.
Bobblehead Darnold
Sam Darnold endorsed the likeness of the bobblehead his California high school made of him. “The hair on the bobblehead actually looks a little better than mine in real life, so I give them props,” he said. “It actually looks like me.”
