When Texans coach Bill O’Brien removed cornerback Lonnie Johnson from yesterday’s joint practice with the Packers, he described it as “not a big deal.”
The Packers apparently do not agree.
Several players were upset after Johnson’s big hits in practice and a scuffle broke out at one point, after Johnson stood over Packers tight end Jace Sternberger and flexed.
“That was unnecessary,” Packers wide receiver Davante Adams said, via Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. “You’ve got plenty of time for that. You can do it in the games and you get fined. Be a coward when you do stuff like that in practice, it’s not a good look. We take care of each other up here. I don’t know how they practice, I don’t know what they do over there, but there’s consequences for stuff like that. . . .
“It’s a brotherhood across the league, period. I had plenty of times where I could take somebody out but I decided not to because I felt like that’s not the appropriate thing to do when we’re trying to get better and look out for one another.”
Sternberger was checked for a concussion and returned to practice. Johnson later drilled Packers returner Trevor Davis during special teams work, which was the one which got him sent to the showers.
Packers coach Matt LaFleur admitted he was displeased in clipped terms, and went into more detail with his players.
“He was clear with us, and we were clear with him: If they started taking shots on our players, then we’re not just going to stand there,” guard Billy Turner said. “We’re not punks by any means, and that’s what happened. So we were men of our word, just like he was a man of his word.”
The two teams are working together again today, and you can expect LaFleur and O’Brien to have a chat beforehand to make sure everyone knows what’s expected, and what isn’t.