I don’t know what it is about NFL training camp but teammates just can’t seem to play nice with each other. Maybe it’s spending every waking moment together for pretty much a month straight that makes players sick of each other. Maybe it’s practicing in 90 degree weather everyday that’s making everyone extra irritable. Or maybe it’s because they only have their teammates to take their aggression out on before the actual season starts, when they can start butting heads with the opposing team again. Who knows? But it happens every year and this year has been no exception.
Last week, Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant got in a fight with cornerback Tyler Patmon, and the two had to be separated after throwing punches at each other. Other reports surfaced that 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick and ex-49er Aldon Smith got in a fight as well last week (though Kaep has denied these stories). Chiefs receiver Jeremy Maclin and cornerback Marcus Cooper also got into it after Cooper held Maclin on a pass play during practice. And now, it’s the Panthers’ turn. The Panthers are starting off their week on a rough note after quarterback Cam Newton got in a fight with cornerback Josh Norman this morning.
During practice today, Newton threw an interception that was picked off by Norman. As Norman tried to run it back, he stiff-armed Newton in the head. Well, Newton didn’t appreciate that very much and he immediately went after his teammate. A fight broke out between the two and from the looks of it, Cam won.
In the video, you can hear Newton yelling “Hit me like that again and you’ll know something!” as he was getting pulled off Norman by his other teammates. Sources said that the two had been arguing back and forth over the past couple of days and things finally escalated into a full blown fight today.
I doubt there’s any real animosity between the two and it’s probably nothing more than some healthy competition. “At the end of the day, we’re all family,” head Coach Ron Rivera insisted. But regardless, it sure makes for some good entertainment.
