By STEVE MEGARGEE, AP Sports Writer
(AP) – During the first week of NFL joint training camps, a player was carried off the field and two teams were fined $200,000 each for excessive fighting.
These events have lent credence to the notion that joint training sessions do not have to last longer than a day – an idea that is becoming increasingly popular. After nearly 80% of joint training sessions in 2023 lasted two days, over two-thirds of training sessions this year are one-day affairs.
“One is enough for me,” said New York Jets coach Robert Saleh.
The argument against two-day joint training sessions is that the second day is often more strenuous and the risk of injury increases.
Atlanta wide receiver Rondale Moore was carted off the field with a season-ending knee injury Wednesday as the Falcons practiced against the Miami Dolphins for the second straight day. Also Wednesday, the NFL fined the New York Giants and Detroit Lions $200,000 each for multiple fights that spanned the two days of practice.
The NFL sent out a memo last month saying fighting and unprofessional conduct will not be tolerated during joint workouts. Packers coach Matt LaFleur noted earlier this offseason that “sometimes it turns into a wrestling match or an MMA fight out there” when joint workouts are extended into a second day.
“Every time I’ve had a joint practice, the first day was a little rough and the second day ended in a fight,” said Packers running back Josh Jacobs.
The problems at the Falcons/Dolphins and Giants/Lions joint practices this week were not necessarily a result of the fact that both practices lasted two days.
Moore suffered an apparent non-contact injury, so it could just as easily have happened if the Falcons had been practicing alone. Many of the fights between the Giants and Lions, including a brawl that injured Detroit cornerback Emmanuel Moseley, occurred on their first day of practice, not the second.
NFL teams are allowed to hold up to four days of joint practices during training camp, which can be split up in any way they like. The Los Angeles Rams, for example, hold four separate one-day practices against three different teams.
The Rams held their first joint practice with the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday and will meet again on August 14. The Rams practiced with the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday and have a session with the Houston Texans on August 22.
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford said after practice on Sunday that he would like to limit joint training sessions to one day.
“I think there’s probably less fighting, which is good,” Stafford said. “You know, on the second day, everyone’s a little bit pumped up and getting into their stride.”
In this context, some notable injuries also occurred.
Saleh’s Jets were already on their second day of practice with the Packers three years ago when defensive end Carl Lawson tore his Achilles tendon and safety Zane Lewis injured his knee, sidelining both players for the entire season.
Saleh shortened the Jets’ two scheduled two-day joint practices last year to one day each. The Jets practiced against the Washington Commanders on Thursday and have one-day practices with the Carolina Panthers on Aug. 15 and the Giants on Aug. 21.
“It’s very rare that a football player goes through this much volume and intensity on two consecutive days,” Saleh said. “Not only does that put our guys at risk for injury on Day 2, but they also have very little performance because they’re just seeing red, fighting and avoiding their techniques.”
This was evident last year when the Packers trained together with the New England Patriots. After the first day passed without any major incidents, three fights broke out about five minutes into the second joint training session.
New Orleans Saints coach Dennis Allen explained why fights are more likely on the second day.
“You have practice on the first day,” Allen said. “One team or another is going to feel like they beat the other team. Those coaches are going to yell at their players. Their players are going to be mad, and that’s what happens, right?”
Some see no need for group practices at all.
The reigning Super Bowl champions Kansas City Chiefs and Las Vegas Raiders are the only teams that do not have joint training this year.
“I think that’s the way we approach it — we’re fast, we train hard, we do those things amongst ourselves and the guys challenge each other,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “And I don’t think there’s a better way to do that if your guys are willing to do it.”
Packers safety Xavier McKinney said he doesn’t like joint practices because there is too much fighting and the on-field action is “all boring” since neither team wants to give away their entire playbook. McKinney said joint practices shouldn’t last more than a day.
“When you see the first practice, you think, ‘OK, you saw me. I saw you. We don’t have to keep doing this,'” McKinney said.
Others consider joint training sessions to be a valuable method of preparing for the season.
“I thought the two days were effective,” Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins said Wednesday. “It’s really important to see different angles, just see different nickel and corner pressures, coverage structures and fronts. That leads to a lot of good conversations. The meeting time after those workouts is very productive to talk through everything.”
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AP Pro Football Writers Dave Campbell, Dennis Waszak and John Wawrow, AP Sports Writers Mark Anderson, Dan Gelston, Brett Martel and Dave Skretta and AP freelance writer Dan Greenspan contributed to this report.
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