CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) - A handful of Carolina Panthers stars got into a scrum toward the end of the team’s final training camp practice on Tuesday morning.
Among them were left tackle Ikem Ekwonu and cornerback Jaycee Horn, according to The Athletic’s Joe Person. Person said Ekwonu -- a Charlotte native -- shoved Horn at one point, leading the cornerback to take a swing at the big offensive lineman.
After the Aug. 18 practice ended, Person said running back Chuba Hubbard and safety Nick Scott kept things going, with Ekwonu and Horn also still involved.
Panthers head coach Dave Canales did not seem overly concerned with the tempers flaring, at least not during Tuesday’s press conference.
“It got heated toward the end,” Canales said of Tuesday’s practice. “There were some unbelievably physical plays. Some hard runs. Safeties showing up. Some great rushes, and they just kind of were in a competitive moment. Tempers flared.”
Ikem Ekwonu (left) and Jaycee Horn (right) reportedly got into a scuffle at Panthers training...
Ikem Ekwonu (left) and Jaycee Horn (right) reportedly got into a scuffle at Panthers training camp on Tuesday, Aug. 18.(AP photos)
“We tried to push the guys to the edge,” the second-year coach said. “They went a little bit over but at the same time, that’s the edginess we have to play with ... We have to be able to play a physical style of football and, you know, sometimes it goes a little too far.”
Despite the high tension, Canales said his team still got in a “fantastic” day of work as training camp came to a close.
Carolina will play its third and final preseason game on Thursday against the visiting Pittsburgh Steelers, and after that, Canales and company will have to cut the roster from about 90 players to 53.
“The is like the dog days of camp and this is the one last shot in pads and, you know, they took it ... they crescendoed it to a place I want our football to be," Canales said.
Panthers still ‘family’ despite tension
The Carolina coach said that at some point Tuesday, Hubbard -- who was reportedly involved in some of the jawing -- addressed the team and reminded them that they are “family” and that sometimes things get heated.
“There’s a stubbornness and a resilience that comes with playing this game,” Canales said. “The challenge is, can you stay focused in those situations? Because if you’re going, if you’re flying off the handle and spouting off and saying different things and you’re pushing and shoving, but we’re not getting execution ... then what is that? What good is that?”
“You have to be able to be comfortable playing at such a high pitch emotionally and physically,” he continued. “You have to be comfortable being able to snap back into the next play ... It takes that kind of want-to, that kind of urgency to win in this league.”
Panthers head coach Dave Canales said his team has to be "comfortable" playing when tensions...
Panthers head coach Dave Canales said his team has to be "comfortable" playing when tensions are high.(Chris Carlson | AP)
Veteran defensive end D.J. Wonnum, who is entering his second year with the Panthers, was asked about it and agreed that Tuesday’s tension wasn’t necessarily bad.
“That competitive nature started to come out,” Wonnum told the media on Tuesday. “[It’s] something that we love. Even my coach said it -- that’s something we need, you know what I’m saying?”
For the Panthers’ starters, the final training camp practice may have been the closest thing to game action they will see prior to the Sept. 7 regular-season opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Canales said his starting players will not play in the preseason finale.
Kickoff for the Steelers game is scheduled for Aug. 21 at 7 p.m. at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.
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