Falcons skirmishes ruffle feathers, go ‘little too far’ | Aggressive play goes ‘a little too far,…

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Falcons skirmishes ruffle feathers, go 'little too far'

Damien Woody discusses why the Falcons need to deliver after investing so many draft picks in offensive skill players. (0:54)

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.

Aggressive play goes 'a little too far,' sparking multiple fights at Falcons practice

As is accustomed during July in Flowery Branch, Georgia, things got heated on Sunday.

Multiple fracases – with 2025 first-round pick James Pearce Jr. involved – exceeded what defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich was comfortable with, though they underscored the more physical and aggressive tone he's hoping to see.

"We're trying to develop a culture, a style of play, for sure," Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich said, via the team website’s Terrin Waack. "Part of that is the violence in which we play – aggression, urgency and all that. Today, at times, it went a little too far. We got to learn how to manage that. You're going to get agitated, especially when you're playing really good defense, the offense is going to get very agitated. So, you got to anticipate punches being thrown, things being said, people being pushed. In those moments, you got to thrive, not retaliate. It's a good lesson to be learned today."

James Pearce, other Falcons went "a little too far" in practice scuffles Sunday

Falcons first-round pick James Pearce was in the middle of the fray during Sunday’s training camp practice.

Pearce scuffled with left guard Matthew Bergeron and right tackle Kaleb McGary on back-to-back plays during a drill pitting the first-team offense against the second-team defense. Pearce’s fellow edge rusher Leonard Floyd got involved both times as well and defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich said after the session that the rookie’s “anger got the best of him a little bit.

“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, via Marc Raimondi of ESPN.com. “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.”

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