Joint NFL Practice Erupts in Brawl Between Jets and Panthers

A joint practice between the New York Jets and Carolina Panthers escalated into a physical altercation as players prepared for their upcoming preseason game in Charlotte. Footage of the incident, shared on social media by the Panthers-focused podcast @FPFO_Podcast, captures the moment when Carolina wide receiver Terrace Marshall caught a touchdown pass over Jets cornerback DJ Reed, who was penalized for pass interference. The situation intensified when Marshall tossed the ball to Reed, prompting Jets safety Chuck Clark to confront Marshall, leading to a brief scuffle. As tensions flared, Reed retaliated by throwing the ball at Marshall while being restrained by Panthers staff. The conflict did not end there; Jets defensive end Michael Clemons later engaged in a shoving match with several Panthers offensive linemen during the practice. Such incidents are not uncommon in joint practices, which are designed to provide teams with valuable experience against different opponents after weeks of internal scrimmages. The NFL has been grappling with the issue of fights during joint practices, as evidenced by a recent brawl between the Detroit Lions and New York Giants that resulted in significant fines for both teams. To mitigate these conflicts, some players suggest limiting joint practices to a single day. Packers running back Josh Jacobs noted that the first day often leads to rough play, while Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford echoed that fewer fights occur when practices are condensed to one day, indicating a potential solution to the ongoing issue.