'It's Ball': Skipper, Barnes Put Training Camp Skirmish Behind Them

No bad blood between Barnes and Skipper after training camp skirmish.

Detroit Lions offensive tackle Dan Skipper stretches prior to the team's mandatory minicamp practice on Thursday, June 6. / All Lions/John Maakaron

Don't try telling the Lions that the first few days of training camp don't matter.

The reigning NFC North division champs have brought a relentless effort to the Allen Park practice field through the first four days of camp. And even without pads, Dan Campbell's squad has showcased the same high level of intensity and physicality that became a trademark of the team during its run to the NFC Championship Game last season.

This has been the case so much so that a series of skirmishes have broken out early on in camp. 

On Friday, linebacker Derrick Barnes was involved in the two most notable dust-ups, first with tight end Brock Wright and later with offensive lineman Dan Skipper.

During Saturday's practice, Barnes and Skipper each downplayed the magnitude of their altercation, expressing that there's no lingering bad blood between the two. 

“At the end of the day, you have a bunch of ‘Type A’ individuals, and life comes at you fast,” Skipper expressed. “Like everyone’s hot, everyone's tired. We're out there competing our asses off, and things spill over sometimes. Like I said, now me and Derrick, I love the guy. So, we're good, we're good to go.”

Barnes echoed a similar sentiment when asked Saturday about the incident. 

“Everyone who knows me knows I'm a clear-headed guy. I'm a nice guy,” Barnes said. “But, you know, on the football field, it's a little different. When you're passionate about something, that's what happens. But, at the end of the day, we get in the locker room, there's no fighting in the locker room. I'm not like that. It's all love.

"But, when you step on this field during camp, it's ‘mano a mano.’ But, come Sunday (Week 1), the first game against the Rams, we're all a team and all ready to go.”

Undoubtedly, things have been chippy in camp so far for Detroit. Yet, it doesn't mean that Barnes & Co. have been an undisciplined bunch that has been unable to be tamed. 

To Skipper, the chippiness is simply emblematic of the aggressive nature of the Campbell-led team. 

“It's ball. There's a high level of competition going on right now. Everyone's giving everything they've got, and sometimes things carry over a little bit,” the veteran lineman stated. “But, at this point and forward, no hard feelings. We're out here trying to get better, and that's all there is to it.”

To any observer of Lions camp thus far, the high degree of competition has been evident. Detroit, on both sides of the ball, has seemingly logged competitive rep after competitive rep – another signature quality of a Campbell-coached squad.

“Of course there’s a competitive edge that comes with every Detroit Lions practice," tight end Sam LaPorta said. "I think we practice the right way, and Coach Campbell always mentions that we try to toe the line and hopefully not go over the line. I’m not sure if you saw a couple of scrums out there today. But, we’re excited to get some pads on next week. And, we’ve got a lot of competitive guys out here, and guys are competing for roster spots and opportunities.”

The Lions will participate in their first padded practice of training camp Monday.