Lions head coach Dan Campbell was once a player in the NFL and he shared some memories of his experiences in joint practices during Monday’s press conference.
Campbell said that players learned to fight during those sessions “back in the day” and said the two lessons that were hammered home for him were that you always get involved in scuffles and that you always keep your head on a swivel for the next one. He would go on to play for Bill Parcells in Dallas, however, and Parcells threatened to cut any player who fought in a joint practice.
Campbell said that no one tested Parcells’ resolve and he found the sessions were more productive than ones that featured fisticuffs. That’s the message he’s sending to the Lions before they work out with the Colts this week.
“We just have to make an emphasis of that. I know they will. We will. We’re not out there to fight. We’re going to compete and have good work,” Campbell said.
The two teams will practice together on Wednesday and Thursday before playing a preseason game on Saturday.