Lions and Campbell Could Be Fined for Receiver Revelation

Could Netflix show have negative impact on Lions?

NFC wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14). / Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

The Detroit Lions' 2023 season was shown in-depth on a national stage thanks to Amon-Ra St. Brown's appearance on the new Netflix series 'Receiver.'

In the show, St. Brown was one of five receivers who were profiled and followed for the duration of last season. The USC product was introduced to a national audience as a result of the show, which showcased a behind-the-scenes look at the difficulties of playing the receiver position in the NFL.

During the show's first episode, the Lions' All-Pro wideout revealed that he had dealt with a torn oblique muscle in the early part of the season. He suffered the injury in Week 3, but played through it in the team's Thursday Night Football win over Green Bay the following week.

St. Brown revealed that he had taken painkillers leading up to the Packers game in an effort to get through the game. However, the revelation of the injury could have an adverse effect on the Lions heading into 2024.

Because the Lions did not list St. Brown on the injury report in the days leading up to the game, they could face discipline from the NFL.

A precedent has been set for this in recent years, with the latest example being the Atlanta Falcons being fined for not reporting an illness that running back Bijan Robinson was dealing with ahead of the team's Week 7 game.

The NFL requires teams to report player injuries and illnesses for multiple reasons, including preventing teams from gaining competitive advantages over their opponents. Because the Falcons didn't do so with Robinson, they incurred multiple fines.

The Falcons' organization was fined $75,000 and their head coach at the time, Arthur Smith, was fined $25,000.

St. Brown logged five catches for 56 yards and a touchdown in the Lions' win over the Packers in Week 4. He did not play the following week against the Panthers and was properly listed on the injury report that week.