Tensions have been flaring across the NFL during the ramp up to the regular season. The innate physicality of the sport has the ability to boil over after the play is whistled dead. Just ask the New York Giants and Detroit Lions who got into numerous scuffles during their joint practices last week.
The New England Patriots are next in line for a joint practice as they host the Philadelphia Eagles. Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo is well aware of the potential for fights during this time, so he laid out ground rules for his team as it pertained to getting into physical altercations.
You dont fight in a real game. You fight in a real game, you get fined, you get kicked out, Mayo told the media. My message to the players: If you get in a fight out here, if youre a starter youre going to play the whole preseason game. If youre not a starter, you wont play at all.
To also help limit the chance of a fight being started, Mayo was also in favor of limiting the joint practice to one day. Typically, these types of practices are multi-day events.