Jon Gruden pulled his team from a joint practice with the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday due to fighting between the sides.
On Wednesday, Gruden’s Las Vegas Raiders practiced with the Rams at the LA team’s Thousand Oaks facility. Not only was there a lot of trash talk surrounding Jalen Ramsey and Hunter Renfrow, but there were some fights.
On Thursday, Gruden pulled the plug on the joint practice with only a short bit remaining because he was frustrated with more fights. A larger brawl had broken out during special teams, sparking the frustrated coach to end things.
You’re not gonna believe this but there was a big old brawl at Raiders-Rams practice. Saw some punches. pic.twitter.com/K6ZVI1R5C4
— Greg Beacham (@gregbeacham) August 19, 2021
After fight at Rams-Raiders practice had to be broken up twice, Raiders head to busses. Rams continue practice. pic.twitter.com/UpbJoY6NAC
— Gary Klein (@LATimesklein) August 19, 2021
Gruden was not happy and called out the stupidity of the fighting.
“I have no idea what that was, but that’s enough of that crap. That’s not good for football, that’s not good for anything. That’s enough of that practice session,” Gruden said in front of the team hotel an hour after ending hte practice.
“It was two guys in a special teams period. And then it was a lot of trash talking that escalated. It’s just sickening really, it’s just stupidity. I’m done with that. It’s just child’s play to me,” Gruden said.
Gruden may have decided he had seen enough, but many players did not find issues with the fights. Raiders quarterback Derek Carr said Wednesday that special teams players are literally fighting for their jobs.
Aaron Donald said that fights are a part of joint practices.
Aaron Donald on the big Raiders-Rams fight: “It’s football, man. Honestly, every joint practice I’ve ever been a part of, there’s always a fight. The way things happened yesterday, how physical it was, I was pretty sure it was going to come back and be a lot of BS.” pic.twitter.com/gvDQ1ZD2zg
— Greg Beacham (@gregbeacham) August 19, 2021
The Rams and Raiders are set to meet on Saturday in their Week 2 preseason game.
