A fight broke out between Julian Edelman and Stephon Gilmore at Patriots training camp
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Wide receiver Julian Edelman and cornerback Stephon Gilmore were both tossed from Tuesday’s training camp session after a fight broke out between the two players during practice.
According to ESPN’s Mike Reiss, the scuffle occurred after an incomplete pass and lasted about 10-15 seconds.
Julian Edelman has been told to leave practice after starting a fight with CB Stephon Gilmore after an incomplete end-zone pass.
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) August 1, 2017
Incident lasted about 10-15 seconds. Bill Belichick has non-negotiable practice rule: No fights, and if you do fight, you are ejected.
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) August 1, 2017
Multiple reports suggest that Gilmore ripped Edelman’s helmet off amidst the shoving and wrestling.
Fight just broke out between Edelman and Gilmore after an incompletion. Gilmore ripped Edelman’s helmet off, and a scrum ensued.
— Zack Cox (@zm_cox) August 1, 2017
We had our first fight in camp as Julian Edelman and Stephon Gilmore went at it. Edelman’s helmet got ripped off
— Mark Daniels (@ByMarkDaniels) August 1, 2017
Stephon Gilmore shoved Julian Edelman after a play. Edelman shoved Gilmore to the ground. They began wrestling and lost their helmets.
— Henry McKenna (@henrycmckenna) August 1, 2017
https://www.instagram.com/p/BXQYLMjlBih/?taken-by=eltiempo10
The pair’s fight isn’t the first incident of its kind at Patriots training camp. According to The Boston Globe‘s Ben Volin, cornerback Malcolm Butler and now-retired center Bryan Stork were both ejected at two different points last season.
Belichick always sends a player to the showers for fighting. Last year, Malcolm Butler and Bryan Stork got tossed in separate incidents
— Ben Volin (@BenVolin) August 1, 2017
Following the episode, wide receiver Chris Hogan said that he expects both Edelman and Gilmore will get over it.
Hogan on Gilmore/Edelman scrap: They will shake hands at the end of the day and we’ll be over it.
— Ryan Hannable (@RyanHannable) August 1, 2017
Newly retired defensive end Rob Ninkovich also shared his thoughts during an appearance on ESPN.
“That’s camp,” he said. “You know, you’re in the heat of battle. It’s hot outside. It’s humid. You’re out there competing against somebody who you go against constantly, so there’s always going to be a little bit of back and forth.”
He continued:
I’ve been really close friends with Julian for a number of years, and sometimes he’s fiery. Actually, all the time he’s fiery. Not sometimes. When you’re in camp and you’re battling and trying to get open, and on defense, you’re trying your best to not let them get open … you’re doing one-on-one’s, you’re doing pass rush stuff, you’re going against a guy over and over and over again. Sometimes a little hands to the face, or a hold here or there, in a moment you’re a little bit angry that maybe you didn’t do great on the play or you got beat by somebody, you could get angry and then tempers flare.
