Getty Josh Allen throws a pass during a Buffalo Bills practice.
The pads finally came on at Buffalo Bills training camp, and it didn’t take long before things got heated.
Video from Saturday’s practice caught quarterback Josh Allen getting upset after taking a hit, then turning to shove defensive tackle Jordan Phillips. The incident kicked off a scrum that prompted coaches and fellow players to step in and separate the pair.
The Josh Allen practice scuffle for #BillsMafia with video from @Constantine824
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Allen Angry at Hit
The incident took place near the end of the team’s morning practice on July 30, with the offense working near the goal line on a two-point conversion attempt. As WGR 550’s Sal Capaccio noted, Allen seemed to take issue with a high hit from Phillips.
“Josh Allen just got heated when he got bumped on his way to the end zone,” Capaccio tweeted. “Turned around and shoved DT Jordan Phillips. A bit of a scrum broke out with a lot of people getting involved.”
Bills head coach Sean McDermott eventually stepped in and the participants separated.
Interesting little scuffle at end of practice here. Josh Allen kept it for a run and he got a little shoulder it seemed from Jordan Phillips. Allen turned around and shoved Phillips right in his face mask. The two sides chatted for a bit before McDermott broke it up.
Some insiders dismissed the scrum as the inevitable result of the players putting on pads for the first time this training camp. The team’s first full week of practices had been without pads and only light contact.
“Mitch Morse said Bills have been here a whole week and pads go on,” tweeted Syracuse.com reporter Matt Parrino. “Guys aren’t sleeping well and it’s more physical when pads are on. Stuff like exchange between Josh Allen and Jordan Phillips are going to happen in camp.”
Others believe the dust-up was a bit of an overreaction. Reporter Thad Brown of WROC-TV said that the hit from Phillips didn’t seem too hard, and believes Allen may have gone a bit overboard in showing the defensive end.
Josh Allen and Jordan Phillips get into a fight.
Allen ran QB draw at the goal line. Phillips thumped him a bit as Allen headed for the goal line. Allen was irate.
It was on the right shoulder, but I thought Phillips was fine and Allen overreacted.
That play ends practice.
#Bills
Protecting Allen a Top Priority for Bills
After making a $258 million investment into Allen last August, the Bills have made it clear that keeping him healthy is a top priority. Bills general manager Brandon Beane said this offseason that the team was making upgrades to the offensive line with the aim of making sure Allen stays well-protected.
“First thing, I’m going to try and protect him,” Beane said. “As I said earlier, I have to make sure the o-line is set and that we’re confident in them. But beyond that, always looking for the various pieces.”
McDermott has also hinted that the offensive plans could change a bit to keep Allen out of harm’s way. That means limiting the number of designed run plays for him, which have been a staple of the offense since Allen’s rookie season.
“We’re always trying to evolve — on the field, off the field, schematically — and in this case with Josh’s running or the amount of times that we run him, we have to continue to evolve that way and making sure we’re doing right by him by doing right by our team,” McDermott said, via NFL.com. “So, we are going to keep a close eye on that. But the one thing we will never take from Josh is his competitive nature and spirit. So, he’s gonna do it when he’s gonna do it.”
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