Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell made waves during his first press conference after getting hired by the team back in 2021.
"We're going to kick you in the teeth. And, when you knock us down, we're going to get up and on the way up we're going to bite a kneecap off," Campbell exclaimed to reporters who were likely a bit taken aback by the intensity with which Campbell spoke for it being his very first media appearance representing the Lions.
We couldn't have known that that 2021 presser would set the tone for essentially every single Campbell-led Lions team iteration since then. He's managed to completely flip the franchise around, helping quarterback Jared Goff achieve success once again as a star signal caller in the NFL and helping get to back to back postseason appearances under his current tenure.
So, it shouldn't come as a shock that 2025's team is coming into training camp with Campbell's signature intensity. However, it's been too much even for him to handle, as it was reported on both Tuesday and Thursday that the head coach had to pause practice because of just how physical and chippy players were getting with one another without pads on.
Lions almost too intense in practice
Obviously, Campbell is not trying to test fate. There have already been a plethora of injuries in training camp so far these last few weeks, and Detroit has the honor of also playing in this year's Hall of Fame game on July 31st against the Los Angeles Chargers. This means the Lions get to play a whole extra week earlier in the preseason, which would be cool if not for so many injuries.
You especially don't want to see Brian Branch and Amon-Ra St. Brown risking their bodies for a brief scuffle. They're two leaders in their respective units and for the entire Lions team, and losing either or both over some high octane practice beef would really set a negative tone for Detroit's season in 2025.
As we wait on word from the team on what exactly happened to Derrick Barnes and Terrion Arnold during Thursday's practice, it's clear that Campbell is not trying to add anyone else to the injury list if he can help it. Freak incidents happen, but things like injuries suffered because a hard tackle without pads can be prevented.
