Lions Rookies Get Into Fist Fight at Training Camp

Few things in football are as competitive as training camp. After all, players are competing for a limited amount of roster spots, which means some will do anything they can to prove why they deserve to be on the team. Sometimes, that means an occasional fight will break out.

The Detroit Lions got a taste of that on Tuesday as rookies Amon-Ra St. Brown and Ifeatu Melifonwu got into a fist fight during practice. While he didn't have footage of the incident, The Athletic's Chris Burke did describe that "serious punches" were thrown during the special teams drill.

First fight: Amon-Ra St. Brown vs. Ifeatu Melifonwu throwing some serious punches during a special teams rep.
— Chris Burke (@ChrisBurkeNFL) August 3, 2021

Detroit Lions News

It shouldn't be too surprising that the two rookies got into a bit of a scrap. St. Brown is a wide receiver while Melifonwu is a cornerback, so it's only natural that they would get into some sort of battle. At the same time, the situation can be looked at in two different ways.

On one hand, it can be seen as a positive thing because it shows how important making the team is to each man. On the other, Lions head coach Dan Campbell has said that he isn't looking for fist fights at training camp, even if it showcases a player's competitive side. If fist fights continue, don't expect the Detroit coaching staff to tolerate them.

Now Campbell is telling us how Bill Parcells would tell him to instigate incidents in camp to fire the team up.
— Justin Rogers (@Justin_Rogers) August 3, 2021

Regardless of Tuesday's fist fight, the Lions have high expectations for their two rookies. The team used a fourth-round pick to select St. Brown this year, who recorded 41 receptions for 478 yards and 7 touchdowns in six games last year. With the team not having a lot of wideout depth, there's a good opportunity for St. Brown to play a significant role. Meanwhile, Melifonwu was a third-round selection at the draft after recording 54 total tackles, one sack and an interception with the Syracuse Orange in 2020. With the talent they've displayed, it's not hard to imagine both players being starters for Detroit this season.

The Lions currently have +18000 odds to win Super Bowl 56, according to FanDuel Sportsbook, which ranks second-worst in the league.

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