Day 2 of joint practice with the New England Patriots and Green Bay Packers got out of hand on Thursday.
Several fights erupted on the practice field, even leading to Patriots linebacker Anfernee Jennings being kicked out. Jack Jones, Jabrill Peppers, and Jalen Mills of the Patriots were also seen exchanging words with Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander.
According to NESN’s Dakota Randall, Anfernee Jennings was ejected from practice after a blindside hit on Packers linebacker Keshawn Banks during a punt drill. When the fight broke out, Banks appeared to be engaged in an altercation with Patriots rookie defensive end, Keion White.
Keshawn Banks initially appeared to take a swing at Keion White, which led to Anfernee Jennings running over and hitting back. Jennings immediately took his helmet off and left the field.
In addition to several scrums during the joint practice, a Patriots player was seen throwing Green Bay’s Isiah McDuffie’s helmet in the air. In a video showing the mix up between the two teams, it appears DL Keion White, #99, was the one who threw the helmet.
This Packers-Patriots Joint Practice is getting really scrappy. As Someones helmet gets thrown in the air pic.twitter.com/KO64b4UxaX
— Caden Sunila- PackOnlyPodcast (@CadenSunila) August 17, 2023
Head coach of the Patriots, Bill Belichick was not happy with the multiple altercations that broke out between the two teams. Belichick was seen yelling at his players several times after fights broke out, ultimately causing him to kick out Jennings after he was involved in more than one exchange and eventually swing on Keshawn Banks in defense of his teammate.
Tempers were flaring between the Patriots and Packers, as the tackles got chippy. Malik Heath and Marcus Jones eventually got into it as well.
On another occasion, Jack Jones blanketed Packers WR Akiem Hicks, and made sure he knew it while jogging back.
Jack Jones just blanketed #Packers WR Hicks
Jones let him know about it on his jog back to the LOS pic.twitter.com/z65BogO6cJ
— Patriots on CLNS (@PatriotsCLNS) August 17, 2023
Shortly after practice, Jalen Mills said that the guys tend to lock in when things get chippy, leading to fewer mental errors.
“Two competitive teams going at it, and I think we got better today. Especially at the end in those last couple of two minute drills, both sides got better, offense and defense, both teams had some learning experiences as well,” expressed Mills.
Jalen Mills says guys tend to lock in when things get chippy, leading to fewer mental errors pic.twitter.com/tv4P1A4GWN
— Taylor Kyles (@tkyles39) August 17, 2023
The Patriots play was definitely elevated after the fights broke out. New England’s defense crushed the Packers offense following the altercations. The Packers fumbled, LB Ja’Whaun Bentley had a pass breakup, and rookie Christian Gonzalez secured a TFL.
”That’s football. There’s always a lot of energy. We’re competing out there going tit for tat, just having fun… If you love the game and your out here competing for a job to play in the National Football League, it doesn’t need to be created you come with it,” said Patriots linebacker Matthew Judon in a press conference covered by CLNS Media.
The constant eruptions in the joint practice will lead to an interesting pre-season game between the two teams this Saturday.
