"Heat got to us": Brian Burns speaks out on major fight during Giants OTAs involving James Hudson III

New York Giants linebacker Brian Burns opened up on the physical altercation that ended his team's OTA session on Thursday. Tempers flared between Burns and offensive tackle James Hudson III, Giants beat writer Pat Leonard reported on Thursday, drawing a lot of attention on social media.

Burns and Hudson were initially involved in a heated exchange that nearly ended in a fight before their teammates separated them. They tackled each other to the ground, minutes after they met again, when a different fight broke out.

After their first incident, defensive lineman Kayvon Thibodeaux punched guard Jermaine Eluemunor's helmet, which sparked another situation. Hudson rushed onto the field to shove Thibodeaux, which gave Burns the green light to come after him and tackle the OT again. These incidents forced the team to end the practice earlier than planned.

Brian Burns spoke about the scuffles and tried to explain what had happened.

"Heat got to us," Burns said.

“I mean, it's just, it's a violent sport we play,” he continued. “You know, guys trying to get better. Tensions raised a little high. The heat is getting a little hotter, so guys get a little more agitated. But it ain't that deep. We squashed it.”

Ahead of a season that can be crucial for this team, some might say it's good to see this kind of competitiveness from their players. The Giants are preparing for a big campaign that will have two experienced quarterbacks trying to take them back to the playoffs, and the rest of the team appears to be fighting hard to achieve that goal.

---

Brian Burns sees Thursday's fights as "healthy" for the Giants

While the team hopes that they return to the OTAs (June 9-10 and June 12-13) without any issues, Brian Burns made it clear that having teammates who take the game as seriously as him can be good when they compete against other squads.

“I feel like it's healthy, at times,” Burns said. “I feel like it's healthy to a certain extent, though. You still want to get your work done at the end of the day, but that competition and that dog, that edge, that we need to have is needed. Got to keep it up.”

The Giants have a lot to prove this upcoming season, or the front office could make a roster overhaul next offseason.