Giants OTAs: Fight breaks out as tensions, heat are high
Fans hoping the Giants show more fight after last year’s 3-14 season got their wish Thursday, but they did their fighting with each other.
A fight ended practice early on the sixth day of organized team activities. Linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux and right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor exchanged words before Thibodeaux took Eluemunor’s helmet off and hit him with a punch.
Left tackle James Hudson rushed in to defend Eluemunor and linebacker Brian Burns went in to back Thibodeaux.
After some shoving, Hudson and Burns wrestled to the ground before things were broken up. Both players were involved in a brief skirmish on the previous play before Thibodeaux and Eluemunor set off the main action.
“The heat got to us,” Burns said.
The temperature was around 85 degrees when practice stopped at about noon, 15 minutes ahead of schedule.
It’s common for emotions to spill over at practice, and Burns appeared to take it in stride.
So did Russell Wilson, who’s seen plenty in his 13-year career as a quarterback. Competitive fire during games must be stoked somewhere, and that intensity can lead to teammates taking it out on each other.
“I think we’re all trying to compete and be the best version of us and everything else,” Wilson said. “A lot of times, we have a long practice like the way we did and the way we’re working, things happen. Every great team I’ve been on, there’s been a couple of those. But our guys are all so connected, that sometimes happens. Nothing to worry about.”
Burns didn’t mind either.
“It’s a violent sport we play. Guys are trying to get better,” he said. “It’s just that tensions have been raised a little high. It’s getting a little hotter. So guys are getting a little more agitated. But it isn’t that deep. We squashed it.
“I feel like it’s healthy to a certain extent. You still want to get your work done at the end of the day, but that competition and that dog, that edge that we need to have is needed.”
For a team that sputtered for most of last season, the Giants could use some fire to meet raised expectations.
Hudson was signed in free agency to provide depth as a swing tackle. Burns and Thibodeaux lead an edge rushing group that got deeper with the drafting of Abdul Carter, the No. 3 overall pick.
Wilson has been lauded for his leadership and professionalism while taking first-team reps. Players and coaches have praised him for being detail-oriented and raising the focus of others around him.
If that process leads to a few more altercations in the offseason, it happens. Burns, however, cautioned that fights can’t get in the way of the team’s goals of getting better, so they need to stay at a minimum.
“We got most of our work done today. But I just want to stay away from that,” he said. “And I’m going to let it be known to the team, like, that’s not what we’re doing. We have to keep our mindset on the main thing, which is football.
“So all that horseplay and all that stuff is cool, whatever, nice edge and everything like that, but we do have to get to the details and get our work done.”
Notes & quotes: Jaxson Dart and Jameis Winston split second-team reps behind Wilson during team drills, and Dart struggled at times Thursday. The rookie quarterback threw two interceptions, one on a deflection. Winston’s first pass in 7-on-7 drills was a long throw to Darius Slayton for a touchdown. Wilson later connected with Slayton on a long pass but also was intercepted by Dane Belton . . . With Greg Van Roten and Jon Runyan Jr. held out from team drills, Evan Neal played most of the first-team reps at left guard and Jake Kubas filled in at right guard . . . Malik Nabers (toe) remained out but did join teammates on the field for the second half of practice . . . Linebacker Bobby Okereke also was out, as was rookie defensive lineman Darius Alexander with an undisclosed injury.
Evan Barnes covers the Giants for Newsday. He previously covered the Brooklyn Nets, Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.
