The Minnesota Vikings head coach made it clear that no brawls will be tolerated when the Jacksonville Jaguars come to town this week.
Right around the third (or even fourth) week of training camp for the Minnesota Vikings and other NFL teams is when things start to get a little more heated on the field.
We’re not talking about the blazing hot temperatures across the country or direct sunlight that has been beaming down on them for a majority of the past three weeks. But instead we’re referring to the temperament of the gentlemen in pads.
As the players become ornery, they want to hit someone that’s not wearing the same color shirt. The opportunity to do so is rare, but as the Washington Redskins and New York Jets demonstrated during a joint practice on Sunday, that chance to take a swing at an opponent can sometimes be too much to pass up.
Although training camp fights are almost a rite of passage and an instant YouTube phenomenon, Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer recently made it clear that his team isn’t interested in picking fights during joint practices with the Jacksonville Jaguars this week.
Minnesota Vikings
"“The biggest thing is that we want to get work done against a good team. It’s important that our guys know that we’re not going to put up with any trash talking, we’re not going to put up with any fighting. We’re not here for that, we’re here to get better.”"
Despite Zimmer’s wishes, the conditions for a fight could be ripe enough even without Jaguars defensive players Dante Fowler and Jalen Ramsey, who were both suspended for fighting last week.
Jacksonville plays with an intensity and swagger that tends to get underneath their opponent’s skin. The most blatant display of that was last December during the Jaguars’ 30-24 victory over the Seattle Seahawks.
Late in the game, the two teams started brawling on the field to the point where Seattle defensive tackle Quinton Jefferson nearly went into the stands to go after some of Jacksonville’s fans.
It’s possible that the Vikings may have learned their lesson after Xavier Rhodes and Stefon Diggs were suspended for an afternoon practice for a spat during the walk-thru prior to the Denver game last week.
If that type of punishment was any indication, Minnesota’s players should think twice before throwing down with anybody wearing teal on Wednesday or Thursday.