The New York Giants and Cleveland Browns conducted their first of two joint practices on Thursday and it went off without a hitch.
While the two sides did exchange a little trash talk, there was no pushing and shoving or punches thrown. The Fighting Joe Judge’s, as they’ve become known, kept their cool. So did the Browns.
With so many competitive and aggressive players on the field, how did the two sides manage? Well, for the Giants, it was easy.
“We had our fights already for camp,” safety Logan Ryan told reporters with a laugh after practice.
The Giants, of course, engaged in a full-team brawl earlier this month that resulted in head coach Joe Judge completely losing his mind and forcing the team to run gassers and do push-ups much to the dismay of long-retired players around the league. It drew national media attention.
However, leading up to Thursday’s practice, Judge and Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski made it clear to each side that fighting would not be tolerated.
“Joe made it clear we’re not going to be doing that,” Ryan said. “They have a really good head coach, and they have a really good system, and scheme and good players over there. They’re really professional, so it was just work. We talked before, a couple of the leaders on both sides. I just don’t even think the intensity was even close to that level to get to that. It was good work.”
But Ryan did have some gripes…
Practice in Cleveland was somewhat quiet compared to East Rutherford. That didn’t sit well with many of the Giants who wish they had brought their speakers from the Meadowlands.
“I think they need a better speaker. Our speaker’s better at home,” Ryan said with another laugh. “We should have brought our speaker for the music. It is what it is. It’s work.”
The Giants and Browns will wrap up their joint practice on Friday afternoon and then meet on Sunday in Week 2 of the preseason.
