The Carolina Panthers were back on the practice field on Monday and we see the first fight of the team’s training camp thus far.
According to Alex Zietlow of The Charlotte Observer, the fight was between running back Chuba Hubbard and linebacker Trevin Wallace.
“First fight of camp!” Zietlow wrote. “Linebacker Trevin Wallace pops Chuba Hubbard and a scuffle ensues. Hubbard throws his helmet off after the fight subsides, still visibly frustrated.”
Of course, training camp fights are nothing new and happen around the league all the time, so this is no big deal. And that’s exactly what Hubbard echoed when asked about the fight.
“He’s playing hard, that’s what coach preaches, so I’m not going to be mad about it. That’s just football. Obviously a lot of emotions in it, but he’s playing hard, that’s what we need, so I love it,” Hubbard said.
“Football is all about emotions,” Hubbard added. “Obviously I got hit, reacted a certain way, but like I said, he’s playing hard and I can’t be mad about that.”
Head coach Dave Canales had a similar reaction.
“Playing football, we’ve got to tow the line,” he said. “We’ve got to play physical and a lot of times it’s not personal, it’s just football. Guys will respond passionately, they don’t like getting knocked on their butt, they take it personal, but there’s a lot of physical play throughout practice and that’s going to happen.”
When asked if he had shut down practice early as a result of the fight, Canales said “not at all.”
With the release of Josey Jewell, Wallace has gotten a push up the depth chart into a starting role next to Christian Rozeboom, who is slated to wear the green dot.
Meanwhile, Hubbard is coming off a breakout campaign that led to his getting a four-year, $33.2 million deal. Hubbard will return to his lead-back duties in 2025, with Rico Dowdle backing him up.
