Under the intense heat of competition, it’s not uncommon to see a fight break out between players at an NFL training camp. Over the weekend, the New York Giants had to break one up between defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence and offensive lineman Shane Lemieux.
Lawrence, who is one of the biggest players on the team at 6-foot-4 and 342 lbs., spoke to the media on Tuesday and was asked about the fight. His answer was nothing short of elite.
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Dexter Lawrence on his entanglement with Shane Lemieux the other day in practice.
“I didn’t start it, I finished it.”
Lawrence says it’s squashed. He and Lemieux are locker neighbors. #Giants
“I didn’t start it, I finished it,” Lawrence said, via Art Stapleton of The Record.
Talk about dropping the microphone. Lawrence added that the beef between him and Lemieux has since been “squashed,” per Stapleton.
If you missed the fight, here’s a clip of the scrum that circulated on social media:
Fight at #Giants camp.
OL Shane Lemieux tackled DL Dexter Lawrence after a play, then DL Leonard Williams came over and took down Lemieux and pinned him to the ground.
The fight allegedly started when Lawrence “buried” offensive lineman Mark Glowinski on a play near the goal line at practice, according to Pat Leonard of The New York Daily News. Lawrence has 30-plus pounds on Glowinski and Lemieux, both of whom are listed at 310 lbs. on the Giants’ official website.
Lawrence, 24, is poised for a big year with the Giants. The former first-round draft pick (17th overall in 2019) out of Clemson is heading into his fourth NFL season. Despite being a Dave Gettleman draft choice, the new regime led by head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen decided to exercise Lawrence’s fifth-year option earlier this offseason.
Lawrence has appeared in every game except for one since joining the Giants, making 41 starts over the past three seasons. He only has 145 tackles and 9.0 sacks in his professional career, but his impact goes far beyond the stat book. His ability to eat space and take on double-teams is crucial, as it prevents blockers from reaching the second level in the run game and also provides his teammates with one-on-one matchups to rush the passer off the edge.
Dexter Lawrence Shares Eli Manning’s Message to the Giants
The Giants had a special visitor at training camp practice on Tuesday: former quarterback Eli Manning.
Manning addressed the team after practice, and during his media availability on Tuesday, Lawrence shared what his old teammate said.
Dexter Lawrence on Eli being at practice: “I always call him the GOAT”
Full video: t.co/xhHPGw8qqR
“Just come out and trust in the process,” Lawrence said, via GiantsTV on Twitter. “Being a good teammate, being a good person to the people you’re around every day. Competing, and you know — if you’re not getting better, you’re getting worse type of thing.”
Lawrence was a rookie during Manning’s final NFL season in 2019, so they spent one year together as teammates.
Dexter Lawrence Sets Lofty Goal For 2022
With the team under new leadership, Giants fans aren’t sure what to expect this season. Big Blue has only been to the playoffs once in the past 10 seasons, but Dexter Lawrence believes that is an attainable goal for the 2022 season.
Dexter Lawrence asked about making the playoffs this season:
“It’s a realistic goal. It’s everybody’s goal.”
“It’s a realistic goal,” Lawrence said, via Jordan Raanan of ESPN. “It’s everybody’s goal.”
The Giants finished last in the NFC East with a 4-13 record last season, so a return to the playoffs would mark an incredible year-over-year leap.
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Dexter Lawrence Gives Elite Quote on His Camp Fight vs. Giants O-Lineman