NFL coaches want high-intensity practices. Sometimes that intensity boils over into unwanted outbursts.
But even for professional football players, the rate of fistfighting among NFL training camps has raised eyebrows and drawn plenty of unwanted attention. The New York Jets' scuffle that saw IK Enemkpali break Geno Smith's jaw is the most famous fight, and the one with the most serious results, but it's hardly the only outbreak -- or even the first in this year's training camp.
Before Smith and Enemkpali, Cam Newton got into a fight at Panthers' training camp -- one that didn't cause any injuries, fortunately.
But training camp fights have seemed to pick up since teams began organizing practice sessions with other franchises. Amid the excitement that he seems likely to make a regular-season roster, Philadelphia quarterback Tim Tebow also allegedly pulled apart players from both the Eagles and Ravens who started fighting during a workout.
More recently, the St. Louis Rams and Dallas Cowboys had members of their team brawl during an organized inter-squad practice. Before them, the Texans and Redskins fought.
It's now a surprise when a team hasn't made unglamorous headlines for their bad behavior in practice.
There are factors that can make training camp particularly ripe for fighting. As players compete to make rosters and earn playing time, competition is high. Players are working out in high heats and getting into football shape.
In some cases, such as the conflict between Smith and Enemkpali, drama from the long offseason can spill over into the workplace. And then some players simply value a little fight, thinking it shows team toughness and grit.
But there's a different between occasional frustration boiling over and today's state of the NFL, where fights are starting to seem commonplace. Whether coaches are struggling to lead their players, or whether players simply don't care about the consequences of fighting -- if any are applied -- is tough to say.
It's been a year since the NFL was rocked by domestic violence scandals headlined by Ray Rice. Twelve months later, the league's violence issue seems alive and well.