Compared to other joint practices around the NFL, the Patriots and Eagles’ joint practice on Tuesday was a whole lot of fun.
Perhaps that was in part because Patriots head coach Jarrod Mayo had given his players a stern warning beforehand.
“If you get into a fight in a real game you get fined, you get kicked out. It’s the same thing here. The message to the players is, if you get into a fight here, if you’re a starter you sit out all the preseason games. If you’re not a starter you sit out none. That’s my mentality,” Mayo said.
The message appears to have been well-received, as no fights were reported during the joint practice, which lasted just one day instead of multiple days for other teams.
The joint practice took place ahead of the two teams’ preseason game at Gillette Stadium.
Although Mayo keeps a close eye on his players during training sessions, he said he is a fan of theirs.
“It really breaks up the monotony of camp,” Mayo said. According to CBS Sports“It really helps build camaraderie within the team because sometimes playing against each other here can get a little rut, so it’s always good to play against other teams.”
There have been altercations during joint training sessions in the past, most recently during a brawl between the Giants and Lions in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Rookies Malik Neighbors and Terrion Arnold clashed at one point during their first practice together, resulting in a scuffle between the Giants defense and the Lions offense.
