Multiple fights break out as Giants, Dolphins hold joint practice
Abdul Carter and Austin Jackson both threw punches, and Jameis Winston was pulled from a separate scrum, according to ESPN and Giants Wire.
Fights broke out at least three times during the Giants' joint practice with the Dolphins on Thursday, with coaches John Harbaugh and Jeff Hafley moving between fields to break up scuffles moments apart, according to ESPN and Giants Wire.
The practice ran from 9:30 to 11:50 a.m. ET at the Dolphins' Baptist Health Training Complex in Miami Gardens, Florida — the Giants' only joint practice of the preseason, ahead of Saturday's game against Miami at Hard Rock Stadium.
During pass-rush drills, Abdul Carter exchanged words with Dolphins left tackle Patrick Paul and threw a punch at him, drawing a flag, Giants Wire reported.
Separately, Dolphins lineman Austin Jackson threw a punch that struck Giants rookie linebacker Arvell Reese in the helmet; Kayvon Thibodeaux shoved Jackson to the ground in response, ESPN reported. Hafley had warned before practice that any punch would mean ejection. Jackson was pulled and replaced by Caedan Wallace, then returned for the final period of team drills.
A third incident pulled in quarterback Jameis Winston. Giants Wire reported the scrum started after Calvin Austin III reacted to a late hit, and that Winston "appeared to throw a punch of his own that decked an opponent." ESPN's account differs: Winston was "chirping during a fight" and "took a punch from a Dolphins defensive player." He was pulled from practice for a couple of plays.
Giants Wire named offensive lineman J.C. Davis and Dolphins players Keith Cooper Jr., Ronnie Harrison Jr. and Zeek Biggers as additional scrum participants; none of the four have been confirmed elsewhere. ESPN instead quoted Harbaugh naming right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor: "That's why Jermaine didn't practice toward the end. He didn't really throw a hard punch, but it was to the face mask. And that'll get you in the game. That's a 15-yarder at least."
Jaxson Dart said he headed toward the scrum after spotting "the red 19 jersey" and thinking, "I gotta go. I gotta go help my boy! I don't know what's going on over there."
Harbaugh, afterward: "I think we leave the practice a better team than when we came in. That was our goal." Dolphins center Aaron Brewer: "If somebody come at you, you got to hold your ground."