New York Giants’ quarterback Daniel Jones was front and center during Monday’s joint practice with the Detroit Lions, inciting a scuffle between the two teams even though Jones is coming off ACL surgery late last year and wasn’t fully cleared for football until a few days before the start of training camp.
Jones took exception to Giants center Greg Van Roten being pushed into the ground following a play by Lions defensive lineman Alim McNeil, whom ones shoved in the back that sparked the scrum on the field between the two teams.
“A situation happens like that, you try to stand up for your guys,” Jones said, according to ESPN’s Jordan Raanan. “I thought it was good competitive practice all day [Monday] and we made some plays and did some good things. There are some things we need to shore up, for sure, but good intensity and competitive spirit.”
Giants head coach Brian Daboll also took issue with the Lions, when Lions’ defensive lineman Levi Onwuzurike hit Jones’ arm while he was throwing during a play. Jones, like all quarterbacks during camp, was wearing a red jersey meaning that all contact is off limits.
“I appreciate [Daboll’s support],” Jones said of Daboll’s support. “That’s not something that typically happens in a practice situation. But it’s a competitive practice, and guys are going hard.”
“Oh, Lord. Daniel got jiggy with it. Daniel was out there with it?” Giants edge rusher Brian Burns said of the scrum. “Yeah. I’m going to need him to back up. Let his O-line handle that.
“But Daniel, he’s a competitor, man. He’s a fighter. So, I don’t expect anything less from him. But I don’t need him in that. I don’t need him to get hit. Keep him healthy.”
“You want to go out there and compete. You want to push them to be better,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said prior to practice. “So, like, our mentality is we’re finishing on the ball. If you don’t like it, that’s all right and then that’s when it leads into bigger things than it needs to be. But you know what, who cares? I mean, we’re just coming out here trying to get good work.”
