Jerod Mayo implements new training camp rule Bill Belichick didn't even consider

The Patriots hosted their first and only joint practice on Tuesday ahead of their preseason Week 2 matchup with the Eagles. It was a good opportunity to see how the young and developing roster fared against a new perennial Super Bowl favorite, which didn't go as well as hoped.

It was a rough day for the offense, specifically the offensive line, which then (of course) impacted the success of the quarterbacks and wide receivers. It was a practice that many reporters deemed to be the worst of the summer as more concerns grew based on the team's performance.

Despite it all, however, it wasn't the only thing that stood out about practice.

Because many joint practices get a bit heated between the two teams, fights are inevitable, some of which can be pretty bad. Most teams try to avoid this, and new head coach Jerod Mayo made sure to discuss it with reporters before practice began.

Although he didn't reveal anything out of the ordinary, the new rule he revealed to be implementing was unique and not something Bill Belichick had ever previously enforced, further proving there is a new era in New England. Despite the "player's coach" label he's received, Mayo is a no-nonsense guy.

Jerod Mayo's punishment for fighting is something Bill Belichick should have considered

With training camp fights making headlines already this summer and the Patriots dealing with many on their field over the last few years, it was an early question to Mayo ahead of Tuesday's practice.

He spoke about the message he shared with the team, revealing his zero tolerance for fighting and the consequences if players get into a brawl.

"My message to the players: if you get in a fight out here, if you're a starter, you're going to play the whole preseason game. If you're not a starter, you won't play at all. That's kind of my mindset with that."

The message appeared to have worked, as only one moment was reported to have happened during practice, which didn't get too physical.

It's perhaps something Belichick should have considered during his tenure, especially over the last two years when several Patriots players were kicked out of practice for fighting on multiple occasions. Although it's inevitable, veterans would not want to be punished by playing an entire preseason game, and players fighting for a spot on the roster would hate to be benched as a repercussion.

It was a brilliant idea for Mayo to go about it and establish that rule early in his time as the Patriots head coach to lay the groundwork for the future when more joint practices are added to their training camp schedule.

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