The Detroit Lions have dealt with an incredible amount of injuries over the past few seasons, and it’s becoming a league-wide talking point.
This week, that conversation took a fun and revealing turn on the St. Brown Brothers Podcast, when San Francisco 49ers linebacker Fred Warner weighed in, and couldn’t help but poke a little fun at Lions head coach Dan Campbell.
Amon-Ra St. Brown Brings Up Detroit’s Injury Pattern
After Warner discussed injury theories surrounding the 49ers, Amon-Ra St. Brown shifted the focus back to his own team and didn’t hold back. (Quotes via Pride of Detroit)
St. Brown: “The Lions have hella injuries every year, too. I’m like, ‘(expletive)!’”
That opened the door for Warner to connect Detroit’s physical identity with its medical report.
Warner: “Y’all go hard. Ole’ Dan Campbell be over there tellin’ y’all to bite kneecaps. So, at some point, you—”
The Shocking Training Camp Difference
St. Brown then asked the question that really got things rolling.
St. Brown: “Wait, so do you guys go full tackle in camp?”
Warner’s answer was immediate.
Warner: “No, no, we would never do that.”
St. Brown followed up with a reveal that likely made plenty of NFL veterans wince.
St. Brown: “See, nah, we go full. We go live.”
That’s when Warner delivered his most direct and funniest critique of Campbell’s approach.
Warner: “See, at some point, old Dan is going to come to his senses, man, and be like, ‘Listen, this ain’t making nobody better, brother. We can still get our work in without bringing guys to the ground.’”
What New Players Notice When They Arrive in Detroit
St. Brown added that the physicality of Lions practices shocks newcomers.
St. Brown: “Every time a new player comes to our team, they look at us during practice, they be in the locker room like, ‘Y’all practice like that all that time?’ I just be like, ‘Yeah, this is all I know.’”
Warner Explains Why Live Tackling Might Be Risky
Warner made it clear he understands Campbell’s mindset — but thinks there’s a smarter way to achieve it.
Warner: “I get the mindset that he’s trying to instill in y’all, but—because he’s obviously saying you can’t become better at tackling unless you practice tackling, right? I’m sure that’s the mindset, but tackling is about getting all the way there, wrapping the guy, thudding the guy, wrapping him, and then you just don’t got to do the extra bring him to the ground, right?”
He went on to explain how full-speed finishes can actually increase injury risk.
Warner: “Half the time, guys are just in desperation trying to get somebody on the ground where you’re putting yourself and the person who you’re tackling at risk, right? That’s improper tackling technique, but if you’re doing it correctly, you can be in a position where you can tackle and be like, ‘Okay, I ain’t bringing you all the way to the ground.’”
Campbell’s Culture vs. Modern NFL Thinking
The exchange perfectly captured the tension between Dan Campbell’s old-school, hyper-physical culture and the modern NFL’s push to limit contact in practice. Campbell wants his team tougher than anyone else. Warner is saying toughness doesn’t have to mean bodies hitting turf in August.
Whether or not live tackling is contributing to Detroit’s injury woes is up for debate. But hearing one of the league’s smartest defenders openly question the method, even playfully, adds an interesting layer to the discussion.
Recent Comments