The Detroit Lions are losing one of their organized team activities due to violating rules regarding offseason workouts. Detroit loses the practice session scheduled for June 10.
While the team did not reveal the specific violation, rules in the collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and the NFL Players Association address on-field contact during offseason practices. The Lions issued a statement acknowledging the rules violation and forfeiting an OTA session as a result.
“On Friday evening, the organization was notified by the NFL and NFLPA that organized team activities (OTA) during the week of May 27 violated the player employment rules regarding physical contact on the field, pursuant to the collective bargaining agreement ” the statement said. said. “As a result, the team’s OTA training scheduled for Monday, June 10 has been forfeited.”
“We take the rules set forth in the NFL Offseason Program very seriously and have done our best to implement our practices accordingly,” the statement continued. “We will remain vigilant with our practices moving forward.”
STATEMENT FROM THE DETROIT LIONS
“On Friday evening, the organization was notified by the NFL and NFLPA that organized team activities (OTA) during the week of May 27 violated the player employment rules regarding physical contact on the field, pursuant to the Collective. .
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) June 8, 2024
The section in the CBA regarding on-field contact reads as follows (via Justin Rogers of the Detroit News):
“No live contact is allowed (during OTAs). No one-on-one offense vs. defense drills are allowed (i.e., no offensive lineman vs. defensive lineman pass rush or pass protection drills, no wide receiver vs. defensive back rush and run drills and no one-on-one special teams drills involving both offense and defense are allowed), except that, outside the 10-yard line, simulated press coverage is allowed with using hand placement (vs. jamming) during 11-on-1. drills and related one-on-one drills for position groups (e.g., footwork and release work (no “live contact” or “bump-and-run”).”
This section further explains that hand contact between a defender and receiver is permitted as long as the receiver is not hindered or forced to change their route due to live contact.
That leaves several possibilities as to what happened during the Lions practice in question. Was it a play between offensive and defensive lineman or did it involve receivers and defensive backs? According to several reporters covering the team, OTA sessions held the week of May 27 were not open to the media.
The June 10 forfeit practice is part of a three-day OTA period for rookies and younger players. Veterans will not participate after completing Detroit’s mandatory mini-camp this past week. The team’s next meeting for training camp at the end of July.
Last season, the New England Patriots lost two offseason practices for violating CBA rules. Then-head coach Bill Belichick was also fined $50,000. Other NFL teams have had to abandon practices in recent years due to violations, including the Dallas Cowboys, San Francisco 49ers, Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars and Baltimore Ravens.
