Tempers flared in Foxborough on Tuesday as the Patriots and Colts wrapped up joint practices ahead of their preseason opener. What was supposed to be a final tune-up turned into a full-blown melee, with punches thrown and players sent to the sideline.
The fireworks started during a kickoff drill when a Colts player delivered a late block, driving a Patriots player all the way back to the sideline. That's when things got ugly. According to Mark Daniels of MassLive, Colts defensive end Durrell Nchami threw a punch at a Patriots player, and chaos quickly followed.
"Colts DE Durrell Nchami just threw a punch at someone on the Patriots sideline. Looks like he's being removed," Daniels reported. "Colts blocked after the whistle on a kickoff drill, driving a Patriots player back to the sideline. I saw Dre'Mont Jones jump in and go after someone, sticking up for his teammate."
Patriots defensive end Dre'Mont Jones, who racked up 43 tackles and seven sacks last season, was right in the middle of the fray, defending a teammate. The scuffle forced a temporary halt to practice before coaches regained control and sent players back to work.
High Stakes in New England
This kind of intensity isn't surprising given what's at stake for the Patriots this season. After a stunning 2025 campaign that saw Mike Vrabel's squad go 14-3 and reach the Super Bowl—only to fall to the Seahawks—expectations are through the roof in New England.
With quarterback Drake Maye now armed with playmakers like A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs, the Patriots are poised to make another deep run. The hype is real, and Tuesday's practice showed that this team is ready to fight for every inch.
The two AFC squads will meet again Thursday night in their preseason opener, and you can bet the physicality from Tuesday will carry over. The Patriots have already had to deal with turf issues this summer, so a little extra fire in practice is the last thing they need—but it's exactly what they got.
This isn't the first time joint practices have gotten chippy this summer. Raiders teammates Kirk Cousins and Maxx Crosby traded shoves in a heated session of their own, showing that even teammates can get too competitive.
As for the Patriots, they'll look to channel this aggression into Thursday's game. With trade rumors swirling about adding another edge rusher, the defense is already making noise. If Tuesday was any indication, this team is ready to leave it all on the field.
Thursday's kickoff is set for 7:00 PM ET, and you can expect both sides to come out swinging—literally.
