The Detroit Lions have been found in violation of the NFL’s player work rules regarding physical contact during their Organized Team Activities (OTA) the week of May 27, as set by the collective bargaining agreement.
The team announced on Friday evening that the NFL and NFLPA had informed them of the violations. Consequently, the Lions’ scheduled OTA practice for Monday, June 10 has been canceled.
“We take the rules of the NFL’s Offseason Program very seriously and strive to conduct our practices accordingly. We will continue to be vigilant in ensuring our practices adhere to these standards moving forward,” the Lions’ statement emphasized.
According to the collective bargaining agreement, phase three of the offseason program—which encompasses the sixth through ninth weeks—prohibits drills involving live contact.
The Lions’ offseason schedule included three OTA sessions from May 21-23, followed by another set from May 29-31. After conducting a mandatory minicamp from June 4-6, they had planned three more OTA practices for June 10-12.
With the cancellation of the Monday session, Detroit’s players and coaches will now have an additional day off before resuming voluntary OTAs on Tuesday.
