During organized team activities, the Detroit Lions were found to have violated player work rules regarding on-field physical contact, resulting in the team losing their OTA practice scheduled for Monday. The NFL and NFLPA informed the organization of the violation, which involved practices held the week of May 27th that went against the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
The CBA strictly prohibits live contact during OTAs, and the Lions were the first team this offseason to face consequences for violating these rules. While the Lions had OTAs earlier in May and a mandatory minicamp this week, the announcement on Friday means they will only have practices scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday to finish their offseason program.
In 2021, coach Dan Campbell made headlines with his aggressive statement during his introductory news conference, declaring that the team will play tough and resilient. The team’s motto of biting a kneecap off, however, seems to have backfired this time with the OTA rule violation. Despite the setback, the Lions are committed to following the NFL’s Offseason Program rules and ensuring compliance in future practices.