Subscribe
Follow Us
When two teams agree to a joint practice during training camp, the biggest concern is usually fights breaking out, and it appears that for the Green Bay Packers and Houston Texans coaches, their biggest concern played into reality. According to Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press-Gazette, Texans cornerback Lonnie Johnson Jr. laid out Packers rookie tight end Jace Sternberger and then stood over him. The Packers offense took exception to that and went after Johnson.
Fiiiiiight.
Texans CB Lonnie Johnson Jr. completely lays out rookie TE Jace Sternberger, popping off his helmet, then taunts over him. The entire #Packers offense then went after Johnson in unison. Can’t blame them. That was a cheap shot.
— Ryan Wood (@ByRyanWood) August 5, 2019
The video below doesn't show the hit that started the fight, but both teams came into the middle and exchanged some words after the incident.
Gotta love joint practice fights #Packers #Texans pic.twitter.com/HTkh2WRx4l
— Ryan S (@unriggedrhino) August 5, 2019
This has to be disappointing for first-year head coach Matt LaFleur who said that the receivers and cornerbacks wouldn't be competing in one on one drills to try and avoid any fighting.
Article Continues Below
“Just in my past, that’s usually where the stuff gets riled up,” LaFleur said via Packersnews.com, “and we’re trying to avoid fights.”
Packers offensive lineman Bryan Bulaga said going into practice that he was excited to face a different team.
“I’m not saying our defense isn’t going at full speed,” Bulaga said, “but it’s different when you’re going against someone else, beside your own teammates. Obviously, there’s not going to be – the quarterbacks aren’t live, our own guys aren’t live, it’s still a controlled setting – but the tempo will be different. Let’s put it that way.”
There will no doubt be more talk about the fight after practice, but let's hope that the two sides can get their emotions under control and both be productive during practice, without more fights breaking out.
