Jets, Panthers Fight During Joint Practice

During a joint practice on August 15, tensions escalated between the New York Jets and Carolina Panthers, resulting in multiple fights. The first skirmish ignited when Panthers wideout Terrace Marshall celebrated a touchdown by flipping the ball to Jets cornerback D.J. Reed, who responded by throwing the ball back at Marshall. This prompted Jets safety Chuck Clark to confront Marshall, leading to a chaotic brawl involving numerous players from both teams. Head coach Dave Canales of the Panthers criticized Marshall's actions as 'dumb football' but indicated that the team would move past the incident. A second fight erupted later, involving Jets defensive end Micheal Clemons and Panthers players. As the teams prepare to face each other in a preseason game, the fights reflect the intensity often seen in joint practices, which the NFL is attempting to manage to reduce such altercations.