Giants working again Saquon Barkley, middle Jon Feliciano, linebackers Tae Crowder and Cam Brown, and offensive line coach Bobby Johnson set off and escalated a melee at Monday’s sweltering scorching observe in East Rutherford.
The combat’s highlights featured Feliciano going full WWE, seemingly attempting to knee Crowder within the head or intestine after which sucker-punching Brown. Johnson, a coach, shoved and challenged Brown, too.
Rookie tight finish Daniel Bellinger stated when the mud had cleared, head coach Brian Daboll informed the gamers and coaches that “shedding groups do this.”
Feliciano, for instance, would have been ejected from an NFL common season recreation, if not suspended for an additional.
There was a significant lack of self-discipline on the sphere Monday with co-owner John Mara wanting on within the 95 diploma warmth.
“We’ve bought to come back on the market and be bodily, however we’ve bought to be good, as effectively,” Bellinger stated.
The primary-string protection had been dominating the offense all day. Not one of the combat’s predominant perpetrators had been made accessible to the media. The leaders who did speak – defenders Jihad Ward and Julian Love – did their greatest to airbrush the state of affairs.
However the combat was ugly at factors. This was not your typical coaching camp brawl, however the gamers performed it down afterward.
“I don’t assume any of us has crossed the road,” Love stated, when requested about Feliciano. “We all know Jon and he’s not crossing the road in any respect. It will get intense. Issues occur and we’re gonna reply. And to allow them to count on that. We will count on that from them.
“We don’t take it personally or at coronary heart,” Love added. “Everyone’s within the locker room proper now occurring as regular. However yeah, you defend your guys. That’s what it comes right down to.”
It appeared Barkley was the one who began it.
Barkley lowered his shoulder on a run and knocked down nook Aaron Robinson on the second degree. Security Xavier McKinney had phrases for Barkley.
The protection appeared to consider the working again had violated that interval’s decreased thud tempo. And whereas Barkley instantly subbed out, that lit the fuse for the combat three performs later.
“I’m excited to see him run that tough,” Love stated. “That’s one thing we wish. … It bought just a little scorching on the market clearly. However if you cool off within the locker room, that’s the power we need to see from him. I do know we gained’t be caught sleeping once more when that comes.”
Crowder took it upon himself to retaliate for the protection, tackling backup working backs Antonio Williams and Gary Brightwell laborious to the bottom and giving them additional shoves.
So Feliciano took exception to Crowder’s roughness. And that arrange a Crowder vs. Feliciano shoving match escalated their frustrations right into a full-fledged combat.
Feliciano grabbed Crowder’s head and pulled, as they fought for leverage, then seemingly tried to knee Crowder in both the top or intestine. Gamers charged from the sidelines because the combat boiled over.
Brown finally dragged Feliciano out of the pile. And Johnson, the offensive line coach, didn’t like that, shoving Brown and getting within the linebacker’s face.
Feliciano finally rose to his ft and sucker-punched Brown from the facet as Johnson was jawing with him. And that infuriated inside linebackers coach John Egorugwu, who needed to be restrained from retaliating towards Johnson.
“This ain’t nothing. This jawn’s small, man,” Ward stated. “Folks gonna have a look at it like ohhhh, it’s loopy. However ain’t nothing occurring. We’re gonna chortle at it within the locker room. That’s all I bought to say on that one.”
Then Ward smirked: “However I didn’t see nothing.”
Requested a couple of participant like Barkley not sticking to a observe’s tempo, Ward stated: “You’re gonna get some bangs and little thuds however gotta prepare for the season. We will’t actually do a lot tackling sensible, so we simply gotta prepare. Gotta have consciousness.”
He did like seeing Crowder take cost within the center.
“Tae is doing a hell of a job,” Ward stated. “That’s my man. I really like him. He will get it. He’s prepared to show it up. I can’t await him to get unfastened on the market. He’s working the present.”
And Love stated that is what coordinator Wink Martindale desires to see: a protection that doesn’t again down.
“Issues bought intense for a minute on the market at the moment, however we responded effectively,” Love stated. “And that’s all he desires to see. We need to do the appropriate issues and preserve our guys protected. Not do something dumb or get anyone harm.
“However we aren’t gonna exit sorry,” Love added. “That’s one factor.”
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