Training camp ends early for Cleveland Browns cornerback Joe Haden, who was removed from practice Wednesday morning for "being a little too rough," according to Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com.
Coach Pat Shurmur lost his temper and removed Haden from the field after he tackled rookie wideout Travis Benjamin during the team's final day of camp. Haden, the Browns' best defensive player, has been warned before about his physicality in practice, but that didn't temper his mood. Haden jawed at Shurmur, who shot back with salty language, fully audible to the fans on hand.
Haden stripped off his pads before disappearing into the Browns' practice facility, trailed by president Mike Holmgren.
Shurmur wouldn't discuss the matter with the media, saying only that he has a "great deal of respect" for Haden. Not a friend to social media, Shurmur jabbed at reporters, telling them, "you'll have to find out (the) details on Twitter," according to Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer.
It's been a frustrating month for Haden, who tested positive for the prescription drug Adderall and could face NFL suspension to start the season. Today's incident has more to do with (a) today's strict guidelines surrounding contact at practice and (b) Shurmur's desire to keep his team healthy before facing a rugged regular-season schedule.
UPDATE: Haden returned to the practice field in the afternoon before he and Shurmur met to clear the air, according to Tom Withers of The Associated Press. The coach and player later talked it out.
"Joe and I talked and everything's fine," Shurmur said. "It's a dead issue."
Follow Marc Sessler on Twitter @MarcSesslerNFL.
