Once teams have been in training camp for a while, you start to hear players talk about looking forward to hitting guys who play for other teams.
Texans rookie cornerback Lonnie Johnson got his first chance to do that on Monday when the Texans took the field for a joint practice with the Packers. Johnson, a second-round pick earlier this year, may have done a little more hitting than anyone wanted to see, however.
A brief scuffle broke out after the Packers took issue Johnson standing over tight end Jace Sternberger after doling out a hit and had another hard hit on wide receiver Trevor Davis later in the session. Texans head coach Bill O’Brien eventually pulled Johnson from the session.
“That’s between me and Lonnie, it’s not a big deal,” O’Brien said, via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. “It was a play that developed over there, and it was time for Lonnie to head to the showers.”
Packers left tackle David Bakhtiari called Johnson’s hit on Sternberger “uncalled for” and Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press-Gazette reports that Packers head coach Matt LaFleur felt the same way. LaFleur also delivered that message to O’Brien with the two teams set to work together again on Tuesday.