Arizona State linebacker Vontaze Burfict was involved in a locker room fight with a teammate Wednesday, school spokesman Mark Brand confirmed.
Brand called the fight between Burfict and receiver Kevin Ozier "a minor skirmish that was quickly resolved." He said there were no injuries and both players missed no practice time after the altercation.
Burfict, a 6-foot-3, 252-pound junior and preseason All-American, and Ozier, a 6-foot, 201-pound sophomore, scuffled at practice before the conflict reignited in the locker room.
So what's the takeaway?
Fights happen all the time in practice. Some coaches like or even encourage them, some don't, but it's a physical game that inspires, er, disagreements.
Still, fighting in the locker room is never good, particularly for a guy who's supposed to be a team leader. It's also hard to miss that Burfict outweighed his foe by 50 pounds. Further, Burfict's inability to keep his cool previously was viewed as an on-field issue -- his intensity boiling over and leading to personal fouls and unsportsmanlike conduct penalties. This changes that.
Know that Burfict just got a page added to his file by NFL general managers, who will be intrigued by his first-round talent but worried about his volatility. Burfict is a potential first-round draft pick, but will GMs want to use a high pick for a player they aren't sure they can trust?
It does not, however, appear that Burfict will miss any practice or playing time due to this incident.
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