EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — A fight-filled day at a joint practice between the New York Giants and Detroit Lions saw seemingly everything, including quarterback Daniel Jones inciting a scuffle on Monday at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center.
It’s especially notable considering Jones is coming off ACL surgery late last year and wasn’t fully cleared for football until days before the start of training camp. That didn’t stop the Giants’ starting quarterback from taking offense to center Greg Van Roten getting pushed into the ground after a play by Lions defensive lineman Alim McNeill.
That’s when Jones came over and shoved McNeill in the back to spark a scrum on the field.
“A situation happens like that, you try to stand up for your guys,” Jones said. “I thought it was good competitive practice all day [Monday] and we made some plays and did some good things. There are some things we need to shore up, for sure, but good intensity and competitive spirit.”
It was one of approximately eight skirmishes that occurred on the field Monday between the Giants and Lions during a testy practice in the 90-plus-degree heat in New Jersey. They were happening so fast and furiously on the abutting fields that it became difficult to keep count.
It took only a few minutes to figure what kind of day this was going to be. The Giants’ defense got into it with Lions star receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown on the second play of live drills. That melee involved several punches being thrown, always a questionable tactic considering the players were still armed with their helmets.
That fracas occurred on a separate field from Jones and the Giants’ offense. Not to be outdone, they joined the fight club just moments later. The feistiness and energy seemed to be contagious.
Giants coach Brian Daboll got upset with Lions defensive lineman Levi Onwuzurike for hitting Jones’ arm while he was throwing on one play. Contact with the quarterbacks, all wearing red jerseys, is supposed to be off limits at practice.
Daboll reprimanded Onwuzurike loudly following the play. Not surprisingly, moments later, Jones pushed McNeill and they were off to the races.
“I appreciate [Daboll’s support],” Jones said. “That’s not something that typically happens in a practice situation. But it’s a competitive practice, and guys are going hard.”
The Giants still don’t necessarily want Jones involved in those types of fights. He’s coming off a season where he made just six starts because of neck and knee injuries.
Jones was pulled out of the skirmish for which he supplied the lighter fluid by a team employee who was working on the field. As he tried to reenter the scrum, a coach prudently pulled him away.
“Oh, Lord. Daniel got jiggy with it. Daniel was out there with it?” Giants edge rusher Brian Burns said when informed of his quarterback’s actions. “Yeah. I’m going to need him to back up. Let his O-line handle that.
“But Daniel, he’s a competitor, man. He’s a fighter. So, I don’t expect anything less from him. But I don’t need him in that. I don’t need him to get hit. Keep him healthy.”
The Lions came to New Jersey perhaps a little cranky, after they were delayed some six hours the previous day during their travels. They were undoubtedly ready regardless.
It’s unlikely the outcome would have been different anyway given their approach from the top down.
“You want to go out there and compete. You want to push them to be better,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said before practice. “So, like, our mentality is we’re finishing on the ball. If you don’t like it, that’s all right and then that’s when it leads into bigger things than it needs to be. But you know what, who cares? I mean, we’re just coming out here trying to get good work.”
Ultimately, the two teams walked off the field at the conclusion of practice without further incident. Many players and coaches comingled as if it were just another training camp workout.
Albeit one that at times resembled more of a Royal Rumble than a football practice.
