Getty Dan Campbell coaching the Dolphins in 2015.
Training camp fights come in many shapes and forms, and while many aren’t positive developments, the event that played out at Detroit Lions camp on August 3 could be classified as one for Dan Campbell.
During a special teams rep, wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown and cornerback Ifeatu Melifonwu got into a minor scuffle in which punches were thrown. While the event did cross the typical line of conduct on the football field, Campbell believes there were some major positives to take away from the encounter.
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Campbell met with the media on Wednesday, August 4 and explained that from his standpoint, he was excited about the conflict because it showed a level of competition between the players.
“I was fired up because they were competing, man. It was good to see both of them, two young bucks, go after it. We had a pretty good idea of Amon-Ra (St. Brown), what he’s capable of, just when he gets pads on his aggressiveness. It showed up on tape in college like look, this guy will mix it up. There’s things you see of Iffy (Melifonwu) in school, but yet I didn’t quite know, but just to know that he’s got a little hey man, I’m not your punching bag. That encouraged me, it really did. The fact that we got them paired up again, and it was a good rep. It was still competitive, but it was a good rep. Nobody backed down from each other and they got better from it. I was happy,” Campbell said.
The fact that the fight didn’t escalate further and the players seemed to learn from it is a good sign for the Lions. That shows the team is in the right place mentally as they push through the first weeks of camp, which is something that Campbell has to appreciate.
Closer Look at Lions’ Camp Fight
During the team’s first padded practice on Tuesday, August 3, the Lions got involved in a bit of a fracas on the field. As Chris Burke of The Athletic pointed out while watching practice, a pair of rookies got involved in a bit of a dust up, with wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown and cornerback Ifeatu Melifonwu throwing some punches at each other during a drill.
Here’s a look at what Burke said played out between the sides in what he described as a special teams repetition:
First fight: Amon-Ra St. Brown vs. Ifeatu Melifonwu throwing some serious punches during a special teams rep.
Seeing the Lions get after it a bit should be interpreted as a good sign. Often, players get into it on the field during camp, and this proves the team has the right mindset in terms of compete early on. Likely, that’s just what Campbell saw as well.
Battles Between Ifeatu Melifonwu, Amon-Ra St. Brown Might Be Just Beginning
If this pair of players show up at camp in other future conflicts, it wouldn’t be a shock. Both play opposite positions on the field, with Melifonwu playing cornerback and St. Brown playing wide receiver. Knowing this, both could be expected to have future encounters on the field. Each player is also looking to make waves in terms of roster battles, and are looking to step up and show why they belong in terms of a consistent role for this season. Each come from opposite sides of the country, as St. Brown hails from USC where he was a standout pass catcher. Melifonwu played collegiately at Syracuse where he was a solid cornerback.
Already, the rookies are showing their scrap in camp to the Lions as they set about trying to make an impact on the roster and that is good to see. Campbell himself seems to appreciate the early intensity.
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Dan Campbell ‘Fired up’ Following Lions’ Camp Dustup