Getty Indianapolis Colts linebacker Zaire Franklin greatly criticized one of the Detroit Lions running backs on Twitter.
Training camp fights are rather common around the NFL, especially when two teams conduct joint practices as the Indianapolis Colts and Detroit Lions did on August 17 and 18. But usually those fights are over and done with in the matter of seconds.
That doesn’t appear to be the case for Colts linebacker Zaire Franklin. He seems to have some remaining resentment for Lions running back Jamaal Williams.
NFL Films tweeted a video advertising HBO’s Hard Knocks with three straight hard practice reps between Franklin and Williams. Franklin then quote tweeted the video with a message that included heavy shade for Williams.
“Only in the League can a bum lose 3 reps in a row and still yell like he won,” Franklin wrote in the tweet. “hope you ready to cry about another losing season champ.”
Only in the League can a bum lose 3 reps in a row and still yell like he won 🤣🤣 hope you ready to cry about another losing season champ https://t.co/9jAGSChsB5
— Zaire Franklin (@ZiggySmalls_) August 19, 2022
As one can see in the video, Franklin gets close to recording a sack on the first and third reps against Williams, who was in pass protection.
On the second rep, Williams nearly catches a short out-route, but Franklin manages to break up the throw. After the near catch, Williams pleads for a holding penalty to be called.
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Twitter Entertainment from Franklin
As of an hour after Franklin’s tweet targeting Williams, the Lions running back had yet to respond to the linebacker on Twitter. He did tweet on the afternoon of August 19, but it included a video of him dancing on an NFL field and nothing to do with the Colts-Lions joint practices.
Blessed to be able to play this game. Gonna enjoy it and CHERISH EVERY MOMENT!! 🎧🎶
But plenty of fans have responded to Franklin, some of which didn’t see the Colts linebacker as the winner of all three reps.
@ZiggySmalls_ This you?
@ZiggySmalls_ Finish a game over .500, miss the playoffs and suddenly the Colts are a dynasty.
Plenty of other fans defended Franklin and the Colts.
@OstrowskiJake @ZiggySmalls_ Lions fans should really worry about trying to get a winning season under there belt some time.
@ZiggySmalls_ I loved it when you punted the damn ball Z 😂
Go Colts 🏆💯
Next Colts-Lions Matchup
The Colts and Lions will face each other in Week 2 of the preseason at Lucas Oil Stadium on August 20. But Indianapolis will not be playing a vast majority its starters in the contest, so the likelihood that fans will get to see another Franklin-Williams matchup is very low.
Being in opposite conferences, the Colts and Lions do not face each other very often during the regular season and won’t during 2022. Since the formation of the four-division setup in the NFL before the 2002 season, the Colts and Lions have played once every four years. They last faced each other in 2020.
AFC and NFC opponents do play more often with the 17-game schedule that the league moved to in 2021. But more than likely, barring another preseason matchup or more joint practices, the Colts-Lions will next play in 2024.
That’s really too bad with the entertainment Franklin and Williams provided in the short NFL Films clip and then afterward on Twitter.
Of course, the linebacker and running back might not even still be on the Colts and Lions, respectively, when the two teams meet again. While Franklin’s current contract expires following the 2024 season, Williams is set to be a free agent after this upcoming season.
So maybe Williams can join a team that Indianapolis faces more often. A brewing Franklin-Williams rivalry would be excellent television.
It wouldn’t be bad for Twitter and the internet too.