‘No. 62 is a B****!’ Jason Kelce Brawl Ends Eagles vs. Colts Practice
PHILADELPHIA – The final open practice of training camp ended with some bigtime afternoon fireworks when Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce delivered a blindside hit to Indianapolis Colts linebacker Zaire Franklin with about 15 minutes left to go in the joint practice on Tuesday.
Kelce took exception to a hit Franklin delivered on running back Kenny Gainwell after Gainwell had picked up about 10 yards. Franklin shouldered Gainwell from the side.
That’s when Kelce, with a full head of steam, pancaked Franklin. Both benches cleared and practice was stopped for the day. No punches appeared to be thrown.
After the two sides were separated, Colts defensive end Dayo Oleyingbo hollered from the sideline, “No. 62 is a b**ch.”
“It's just Kelce being Kelce,” said Gainwell, “being a professional and taking care of his brothers.”
Kelce and Franklin appeared to be jawing at each other throughout much of the practice, which had some other chippy moments, with Derek Barnett, who else, involved in one skirmish after a strip-sack of Anthony Richardson.
Tensions ramped up a play before Kelce made like a baby rhino and charged the Colts linebacker when Gainwell was hit after the whistle. Kelce didn't want to get into what led up to it but seemed genuinely embarrassed by the incident.
“Tensions just got the better of me,” the veteran center said. “Certainly, we try to keep things civil on the field. I think for me, I pride myself on being a guy that sustains the emotions and level of play out there. I let my emotions get the better of me.
“That certainly doesn’t belong out there on the field. And just, a little bit of shame that it got to that level, that I did what I did. Certainly, not happy about that."
Franklin said it was all a matter of competition.
“We were out there competing,” said Franklin. “...To be honest, our practice tempo is our practice tempo. That kind of happens when you have joint practices against other organizations. Sometimes your speed isn’t their speed. People get offended. That’s life."
The irony is Franklin is from Philadelphia. He grew up watching Kelce while attending middle school on the corner of Kensington and Allegheny Avenues, and he warned reporters to stay away from the area, calling it the worst corner in Philly. He then went to La Salle College High School before moving on to Syracuse.
The sixth-year pro said he comes back to his old middle school in the offseason and prides himself on giving to the school, the kids, the teachers, and the community.
“Obviously growing up in Philly, watched him play for a long time,” said Franklin about Kelce. “A lot of respect for him. Talked to him a little bit after we played them last year (in the regular season). I thought the OG would at least look me in the eye before. But it’s all good. I’ll get a chance to look him in the eye on Thursday, so we’re going to be OK.”
The linebacker added, “At the end of the day, it’s football, we have pads on. If I look you in the eye, that’s kinda how I see it. Again, everybody plays differently. So, I guess it’s their house, their rules.”
The Eagles remained gathered around each other on one practice field and waited for the Colts to exit the other field. There were still some players from both teams mingling with each other well after the brawl.
"If that’s a game, you do something like that, it could end up costing you the game,” said Kelce. “You want to play this game with emotion and intensity, but you can’t obviously let your emotion take control and cause you to do something, that’ll hurt the team in the long run.
“You can’t be out there acting on every instinct that we have, then we’re not going to be unified, working together, penalties that will cost us games and ultimately the season.”
Head coach Nick Sirianni told players to keep each other safe, according to Gainwell.
“He said we’re a team,” said the Eagles running back, “and we won’t let anyone come in our house and take over.”
Ed Kracz covers the Philadelphia Eagles for SI's EaglesToday.
Please follow him and our Eagles coverage on Twitter at @kracze.
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