Hey, football players get into fights. It happens. It’s a physical game and tempers run high. But it would be easier to excuse Bucs cornerback Aqib Talib if he hadn’t swung his helmet like a weapon. And it would be even easier to excuse him if he hadn’t smashed the wrong player in the face.

Talib got into a scuffle with tackle Donald Penn during Tampa Bay’s voluntary workouts yesterday. Veteran Torrie Cox made the mistake of trying to break up their fight, and was rewarded with a helmet to the face for his troubles.

Did I mention this isn’t the first time this has happened to Talib?

Cox suffered facial lacerations that required stitches, but the guilty parties are playing things down:

• Penn: “Everything is fine. Brothers fight all the time. It happens.”

• Talib: “When you’re out here with your brothers, I’m sure a lot of us have brothers and sisters. I mean, you fight. It comes with being a family.”

Talib must have a big family, because around this time last year he caught heat for getting into a fist fight with then-teammate Cory Boyd at the NFL’s rookie symposium.

This after multiple failed drug tests while in college. As one league source told PRO FOOTBALL TALK:

“Trouble just follows Talib. . . .  He can’t help himself, and it’s never his fault.”