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Any time another team comes in for a joint practice, the chances of tensions rising and fights breaking out always skyrocket. So, when the Bucs and Titans went at it during 11-on-11s, it was no big surprise.
Things got going when someone threw a late hit in the trenches, and Tampa Bay’s offensive line – particularly the interior guys like center Graham Barton and right guard Cody Mauch, as well as right tackle Luke Goedeke – were right at the center of it with the Tennessee defensive line and middle linebacker Cody Barton. The skirmish escalated into a full-on bench-clearer when running back Bucky Irving got thrown to the ground.
Bucs C Graham Barton and RG Cody Mauch – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
There was more pushing and shoving than any actual punches being thrown, a ball was launched into the pile-up from the sideline by Tennessee quarterback Cam Ward.
#Titans QB Cameron Ward is told not to get involved in skirmishes, but he’s “hard-headed.” Ward joked that he threw a ball in the middle of the big fight today looking to hit a guy in red.
He complimented his defense for “playing their ass off today.” pic.twitter.com/vdhHaLHsso
— PewterReport 🏴☠️ (@PewterReport) August 7, 2025
Graham Barton revealed exactly what happened exclusively to Pewter Report’s Scott Reynolds after practice.
“That was probably my first training camp fight,” Barton said. “We ran a zone play earlier in the practice, trying to play hard and play through the whistle. Just kind of gave him a shove – Cody Barton, actually. He didn’t like it. Then he came downhill on a pass protection look when I was looking the other way and got me pretty good. You know … kind of in a weird way – I don’t know if this makes me messed up – but you kind of like it. You like that. I get him and then he gets me back. It’s part of the business. I just didn’t love the way he reacted afterwards. That’s what kind of what started the fight.
“We’re all out here competing, but there’s no room in the game for stuff like that,” Barton said. “But we’re not going to take that as a team.”
Bucs LT Tristan Wirfs Talks Trash To The Titans Defense
Injured Tampa Bay left tackle Tristan Wirfs was animated on the sidelines after the fight and was jawing with the Tennessee defenders for the last 30 minutes of practice.
#Bucs LT Tristan Wirfs — still holding his crutch — is repeatedly screaming across the field at a #Titans player, “What are you crying about?!”
Wirfs has been animated since the big fight earlier in practice.
— PewterReport 🏴☠️ (@PewterReport) August 7, 2025
Buccaneers center Graham Barton commented after practice about Wirfs being so vocal from the sidelines.
“If it wasn’t clear before, Tristan really misses football,” Barton laughed. “He obviously wishes he was out there and competing, but he’s got to heal up and get better first. He’s out there being the leader he and being competitive and wanting us to succeed and do well against another opponent.”
Coach Todd Bowles, QB Baker Mayfield Comment On The Fight In Practice
“Everybody’s in the skirmish, nobody wants to throw a punch. It’s not necessary,” head coach Todd Bowles said. “We’re not trying to do that right there, they’re not trying to do it as well. If it’s hot and you’ve got pads on, it’s gonna happen. So, welcome to training camp.”
Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield was in the center of the scuffle too, and he said after practice that he knows his guys won’t back down when something like that starts up.
“It’s gonna happen, and our group’s not gonna back down,” he said. “You’ve got guys shoving people late in the back, we’re not gonna back down. We’re not gonna start it because we’re not stupid, but we’ll finish it.”
As far as who was involved, Mayfield wasn’t at all the biggest surprise. All-Pro left tackle Tristan Wirfs, who is of course currently sidelined on crutches after knee surgery, wanted to get in the mix and spent much of the aftermath and the rest of practice chirping at Tennessee’s sideline.
“He needs to stay his ass on the sideline with those crutches,” Mayfield said of Wirfs. “But yeah, I was in the middle of it. It was fun.”
It wasn’t just the players going at it on the field, either. Tennessee cornerback Jarvis Brownlee Jr. was seen at one point jawing with a Tampa Bay fan in the crowd and actually had to be restrained by security and Tennessee coaches.
Wild scene at Bucs – Titans joint practice as Tennessee cornerback Jarvis Brownlee Jr. walked over to the Bucs fans in the stands who were taunting him, and had to be restrained by security and Titans coaches.
— PewterReport 🏴☠️ (@PewterReport) August 7, 2025
Bucs – Titans Joint Practice Recap On Today’s Pewter Report Podcast
Pewter Report’s Scott Reynolds, Matt Matera and Adam Slivon were on hand to watch Thursday’s lively joint practice between Tampa Bay and Tennessee and will discuss the standout moments today at 4:00 p.m. ET on the Pewter Report Podcast. The Pewter Report Podcast is streamed live on the PewterReportTV YouTube channel in addition being streamed live on the @PewterReport X and Facebook social media channels.
Click the link below to watch the episode.
–Pewter Report’s Scott Reynolds contributed to this story.