Falcons training camp skirmishes get heated, go 'a little too far' - ESPN

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The Atlanta Falcons' offensive and defensive units got into several skirmishes Sunday during practice, including two involving rookie edge rusher James Pearce Jr.

On one series with the team's first-team offense going up against the second-team defense, Pearce got into it with left guard Matthew Bergeron, whose helmet came off. There was pushing and shoving between multiple players on both units, and edge rusher Leonard Floyd came to Pearce's defense.

Just one play later, tensions rose again. Pearce got into it with right tackle Kaleb McGary, who was screaming at Pearce with his helmet off. Once again, Floyd came in to try to separate things with more pushing and shoving all around.

«We're trying to develop a culture, a style of play for sure, and part of that is the violence with which we play and aggression, the urgency and all that,» defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich said. «Today, at times, it went a little too far and we've got to learn how to manage that.

»You're going to get agitated and, especially when you're playing really good defense, the offense is going to get very agitated, so you've got to anticipate punches being thrown, things being said, people getting pushed. In those moments, you got to thrive and not retaliate and so it's a good lesson to be learned today."

The key, Ulbrich said, is to stop before punches are thrown. And there were some of those Sunday in the big scrums.

Ulbrich said it'll be a major learning experience for Pearce, who has been playing extremely hard from the jump in practice and seems to have a chip on his shoulder.

«He's prideful as it gets,» Ulbrich said. «He loves this game. He's got deep love for his teammates… and he wants to come out here and create a