On the same day the NFL issued massive fines to a pair of teams involved in training camp fights, the Miami Dolphins got into multiple scuffles with the Atlanta Falcons during joint practices.
One notable bit of fan footage from the practice showed Dolphins passer Tua Tagovailoa firing a completion on the field nearest the camera, while a field beyond featured an all-out brawl between both teams.
According to The Athletic’s Josh Kendall, the second major fight broke out when Ray-Ray McCloud threw a retaliatory punch after being on the receiving end of a big hit.
The first fight, per ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques, was smaller and contained to the special teams period. After the second, both head coaches pulled the teams together at midfield.
By all accounts, Tagovailoa’s offense had a brutally tough time getting almost anything going, especially on the ground against a speedy Falcons defense.
Given recent Dolphins practice fights that even led to a “bully” speech from a key team leader, it isn’t surprising to see some friction from Miami’s side as it attempts to impose its will.
Beyond simple offensive effectiveness questions in early August, the only question is whether the NFL will deem this serious enough to find these teams, too.
Tua finds Julian Hill in the flat for a massive gain… meanwhile a HUGE fight breaks out on the other field between Dolphins D & Falcons O😳 pic.twitter.com/LLKKq4mho5
— King of Phinland🐬👑 (@KingOfPhinland) August 7, 2024
