Patriots, Packers Fight In Warmups Ahead Of Preseason Game

The Patriots and Packers squared off in a fight-filled joint practice on Thursday.

Two days later, New England and Green Bay couldn’t get through pregame warmups without tempers flaring.

Roughly 40 minutes before the start of their preseason matchup at Lambeau Field, a brief on-field shoving match broke out between Patriots and Packers players.

Several New England defensive backs were at the center of the scuffle, including cornerbacks Jack Jones, Rodney Randle, Isaiah Bolden and Quandre Mosely. Mosely could be seen grabbing the facemask of Green Bay safety Dallin Leavitt on the Patriots’ pregame live stream.

Safety Joshuah Bledsoe could be seen pulling Jones away from the scrum as the sides separated. Running back Ezekiel Elliott, suited up in a Patriots uniform for the first time, also ran over to mediate.

Thursday’s practice featured more than a half-dozen after-the-whistle altercations and one ejection, with Patriots linebacker Anfernee Jennings sent off after he decked Green Bay’s Keshawn Banks with a blindside hit. It’s clear the animosity between the two unfamiliar opponents hadn’t subsided by Saturday.

The Patriots will close out the preseason next week with another round of joint practices, working with the Tennessee Titans on Tuesday and Wednesday ahead of their exhibition finale next Friday night at Nissan Stadium.