By Jonah Bronstein
Niagara Gazette
PITTSFORD —
Chan Gailey wanted to see some physicality from the Buffalo Bills in the early days of training camp.
He got some Friday morning.
Center Geoff Hangartner instigated a shoving match with linebacker Aaron Maybin during an 11-on-11 drill in the second practice of camp at St. John Fisher College.
The skirmish started after Maybin gave running back Fred Jackson a blindside body check that sent him sliding along the grass field.
As Jackson yelled out, “C’mon, man,” guard Andy Levitre gave Maybin a quick shove before Hangartner ran over and straight-armed Maybin across the helmet. The two then exchanged several shoves and Maybin got in a punch on Hangartner as they tangled on the ground before being separated by teammates.
Gailey said after the evening practice that he did not talk to the players about the altercation.
“That’s part of football,” he said. “You got passion about the game, it’s going to come out. Sometimes it comes out the wrong way.”
Gailey said it would not be an issue unless he felt players were liable to fight during actual games.
Hangartner and Maybin said things are fine between them.
“Stuff like that happens. No hard feelings,” Hangartner said. “And it’ll happen again with somebody else before this camp’s over with I promise you.
“... You hit our 1,000-yard rusher in the back when he’s not looking, then it’s going to kind of cause some hard feelings with the O-line, so that’s kind of the way things go. I’ve got to protect our guy.”
Maybin laughed when asked about the scuffle.
“I think it’s a little bit less of a big deal than everybody makes it out to be, but it is what it is, it’s a physical game,” Maybin said. “Emotions are always going to be a little bit higher because you have pads on. So it is a little bit of a heightened emotional level.”
Maybin joked that he and Hangarner will likely continue “talking trash in the locker room.”
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The Hangartner-Maybin tussle led to more pad-popping, and a bit of trash talking on the field.
After the players were separated, Marcus Stroud, who was sitting out the morning practice, said, “Do that again, Maybin. This is football. You’re supposed to get tackled.”
On the next play, Jackson initiated a collision with Jairus Byrd after catching a short pass. Jonathan Stupar then caught a pass in the flit and took a stiff — but straight-up — hit from Donte Whitner.
Guard Eric Wood profanely hollered at Stupar to “run him over.” A moment later, Wood used some choice language again, yelling in Maybin’s direction something to the effect of “give back some of that money you ain’t earned!”
Wood declined to comment afterward about what he was overheard saying. Wood acknowledged that practices have been more physical.
“Yeah, tensions do rise,” Wood said. “It’s the game of football. I mean, Stroud yelled it, it’s football.”
Maybin said he didn’t hear Wood’s comment. When informed what Wood said, Maybin smiled and said, “There’s nothing to make out of that.”
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Defensive end Spencer Johnson left the night practice early with a lower body injury. Gailey acknowledged the injury but did not provide specifics. He said he doesn’t expect Johnson to be out more than a week.
Gailey offered the same time frame for the return of linebackers Chris Kelsay and Keith Ellison. Kelsay injured his shoulder on Thursday, and Ellison is still recovering from a leg injury sustained in the spring.
Left tackle Demetrius Bell was held out of the night practice. Gailey and general manager Buddy Nix have said they will be cautious with Bell, who is recovering from knee surgery.
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Buffalo native Naaman Roosevelt made a couple standout catches during the night practice.
Roosevelt has been practicing mostly with the third unit, but got a couple reps with the No. 2s and was able to snag a short, hard throw from Ryan Fitzpatrick that was reminiscent of the inside screen passes he often broke for long gains in his University at Buffalo career.
During 9-on-7 drills, Roosevelt made a leaping catch along the sideline between a pair of defenders.
During a passing drill in the morning practice, Roosevelt was slow coming out of his break on and got hit in the face with a pass. He still made the catch.
Roosevelt stayed on the field after the night practice to get in some extra work with quarterback Trent Edwards.
The Associated Press contributed to this report. Contact reporter Jonah Bronstein at 282-2311, ext. 2258.
