Tensions boiled over at Detroit Lions training camp Thursday as players on both sides of the ball brought a little extra juice, and a whole lot of contact, to practice.
While head coach Dan Campbell has been pushing his team to bring the intensity, Thursday’s practice took it a step too far, leading to multiple on-field altercations that forced Campbell to step in and cool things off.
TL;DR
- Lions practice Thursday was full of heated moments and on-field scuffles
- Brian Branch and Amon-Ra St. Brown clashed repeatedly during team drills
- Jabari Small, Anthony Pittman, Trystan Colon, and Nate Lynn were involved in third-team fireworks
- Campbell had to halt practice to refocus players after multiple incidents
- Players are clearly itching to put the pads on and hit for real
Branch vs. St. Brown Steals the Show
Let’s just say Brian Branch didn’t come to play nice.
According to Lions OnSI, the third-year safety was in the middle of everything Thursday, jawing with receivers, jumping into scrums, and trading heated moments with none other than Amon-Ra St. Brown. It’s no secret that St. Brown is one of the Lions’ most competitive players, and Branch seems to have matched that energy step for step.
The duo exchanged words and hand-checks throughout the session. While nothing got out of control, the message was clear: the defense isn’t backing down, even from Detroit’s star wideout.
Scuffles All Over the Field
The fireworks weren’t limited to the starters. During third-team reps, RB Jabari Small and LB Anthony Pittman got tangled up, ending with Pittman slamming Small to the turf. That sparked a mini-melee involving Trystan Colon and Nate Lynn, who stepped in to defend their sides.
Earlier in the session, rookie lineman Giovanni Manu and DT Brodric Martin also had a dust-up, one of several flare-ups during 11-on-11 drills.
Eventually, Campbell had seen enough. He brought the team together mid-practice with a loud, animated message about discipline and composure.
Dan Campbell’s Message: Compete, Don’t Cross the Line
This isn’t the first time this week Campbell has had to dial things back. On Tuesday, he removed Morice Norris from practice after a particularly aggressive play and ended a drill early. Norris returned to action Thursday without incident, but the rest of the squad picked up where the chaos left off.
According to Pride of Detroit, after the fourth scuffle in a span of about 10 minutes, even the most fiery players seemed to get the memo. The rest of the practice carried on without major drama.
The Bottom Line
Thursday’s practice might not go down in the film room as technically sound, but it definitely showed just how competitive and wired this Lions team is heading into the 2025 season. With full-contact sessions right around the corner, Dan Campbell’s crew looks ready to battle; now, they just need to keep it between the whistles.
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