The Bengals were among the teams to see fights break out at practice this week and center Ted Karras was in the middle of the fray.
Karras got into it with multiple members of the defense over the course of Wednesday’s session, including linebacker Germaine Pratt. Cooler heads prevailed before things got out of control and Pratt said after the session that the team was “ready to hit somebody else” with the preseason opener coming on Saturday.
That feeling is shared by Karras, who said he thinks the emotional intensity at practice is fueled by the fact that the team fell short of expectations last year.
“It was a hard pill to swallow last year,” Karras said, via the team’s website. “We were in the AFC Championship Game two years in a row and then we didn’t make the playoffs. That hurts everybody. That affected lot of people personally. It affected me personally. You look at this team, from top to bottom, and guys are ready. We’re a little dinged up in some spots, but overall we’re working hard. I’m excited about this team.”
Last year’s disappointing finish was tied to quarterback Joe Burrow’s injuries. Burrow is healthy now and cutting down on fights in future practices will help assure others remain that way as the team works to get back into the upper echelon of the AFC.