Jerod Mayo Sets Harsh Rule on Major Patriots Camp Issue

The New England Patriots have been one of the teams who have been active over the offseason. They switched over head coaches from Bill Belichick to Jerod Mayo.

They are now in the beginning stages of a rebuild and have been in training camp for a few weeks now.

The Pats had a joint practice happening this week with the Philadelphia Eagles and Mayo gave a strict message to his players.

Patriots News: Jerod Mayo Puts His Players on Notice

Joint practices can get a bit feisty and heated during these summer practices. And that's why Mayo gave a clear message to his players when speaking with reporters on Aug. 13.

He informed his players that if a starter engages in a fight, they'll pay the entire preseason game. And if you're not a starter, you will not play at all.

That certainly will have players thinking before they engage in something like that. If you're a fringe roster player, not suiting up in a preseason may be the nail in the coffin as they fight to secure a spot. Meanwhile, starters just want to get through the summer healthy so they are ready to roll in the fall.

Earlier this summer, the New York Giants and the Detroit Lions were each fined $200,000 for having multiple fights during their joint practices.

That is another reason that Mayo doesn't have his guys to get involved. Fights in the summer can lead to unnecessary injuries and drama around the team.

The point of joint practices is to sharpen your craft against another roster after practicing against your teammates.

That's what Mayo wants his guys to focus on but if they don't, they'll be some ramifications.

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