As is accustomed during July in Flowery Branch, Georgia, things got heated on Sunday.
Multiple fracases – with 2025 first-round pick James Pearce Jr. involved – exceeded what defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich was comfortable with, though they underscored the more physical and aggressive tone he’s hoping to see.
"We're trying to develop a culture, a style of play, for sure," Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich said, via the team website’s Terrin Waack. "Part of that is the violence in which we play – aggression, urgency and all that. Today, at times, it went a little too far. We got to learn how to manage that. You're going to get agitated, especially when you're playing really good defense, the offense is going to get very agitated. So, you got to anticipate punches being thrown, things being said, people being pushed. In those moments, you got to thrive, not retaliate. It's a good lesson to be learned today."
Pearce, the 26th overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft, and center Ryan Neuzil went at it during an initial donnybrook before Pearce and Kaleb McGary had a follow-up skirmish, per multiple reports. Each dustup brought about backup from Peace’s fellow defensive linemen and Neuzil and McGary’s offensive line counterparts.
It seems the unfriendly interactions were confined to the trenches, as noted by wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud, who was just fine not getting involved.
"I laugh only because when it happened, I told the DBs, 'As long as y'all don't jump in, y'all good. We'll spare y'all. Just don't jump in,’ ” he said. “Other than that, we let the big boys tussle it out.”
Though said tussle went beyond what Ulbrich was comfortable with, Pearce is clearly bringing an edge off the edge in his training camp debut.
For an Atlanta defense looking to improve on a No. 23 ranking in points and yards allowed in 2024, having a first-rounder infuse some aggression and attitude into the mix isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
Ulbrich wants some pugnacity, but he wants his guys going right up to the line and not crossing it.
"I think celebrating the guys that take it right there and push it as far as that violence and urgency and intensity, but don't go past the line," Ulbrich said. "Don't throw the punch. Don't retaliate. The more we can take it there and not retaliate and celebrate it, I think that's when you create that style of play."