The Miami Dolphins and Chicago Bears shared the practice field in a few joint practice sessions before their 24-24 tie during Week 1 of the preseason, and the sessions turned out to be anything but friendly. What was supposed to be an opportunity for controlled competition quickly spiraled into a series of chippy moments that left players and media from the Dolphins side questioning whether the line between intensity and recklessness had been crossed.
Dolphins’ Aaron Brewer Still Fuming Over Bears’ “Aggression” in Joint Practices
Joint practices were almost two weeks ago. Fast forward to August 21st, Dolphins center Aaron Brewer was among those who were frustrated with the Bears’ “aggression” on the field. Speaking with the media, Brewer didn’t mince words when describing the contrast between how his team and the Bears were treating the practice reps.
“They were out there playing tackle football and everybody else was playing 7-on-7,” Brewer said. “The fake physicality. You kinda seen that when we went out there and played in a real game.”
Did Brewer forget what sport he’s playing? First of all, Mike McDaniel and Ben Johnson seemed to have no reservations about playing physical football, and it appears to be more on the Dolphins’ players and media members who are complaining about the Bears being “aggressive.”
Isn’t the point of joint practice to test one’s physicality against real competition? If the Dolphins have this soft mindset, good luck trying to win games next season.
Bears’ “Renegade” Identity Under Scrutiny
Miami Herald reporter Omar Kelly, who seems to be the main media member complaining about the Bears’ aggressive approach, painted an even sharper picture of the escalating tension between the two teams. According to Kelly, the session became so heated that coaches and referees had to step in multiple times to prevent the scrums from spiraling out of control.
“Throwing punches in a preseason game gets you kicked out the game. Man… I bet Mike McDaniel and Ben Johnson is going to show that to their teams because these two franchises got beef after today,” Kelly wrote after joint practice.
Still, the Bears’ defense remained the central talking point. Kelly accused Chicago’s players of delivering cheap shots and going out of their way to establish a “renegade” identity. One play in particular, where a Bears defender allegedly tried to clothesline a Dolphins receiver, left Miami players furious.
“The Bears are clearly trying to create a renegade identity on defense. It was cheap and at times crossed a line,” Kelly wrote. “No, it was dirty. You aren’t supposed to hit in a joint practice. The Bears were lighting people up.”
Looks like the Dolphins shouldn’t do any joint practices if that’s how they feel about the Bears working hard to improve on defense. It also seems like they are still salty over the Bears’ approach towards practice.
Either way, that’s in the past, and the Bears are only focused on becoming the best version of themselves and physically dominant on the field.
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