The Detroit Lions are gearing up for their third preseason game this Saturday against the Miami Dolphins. Prior to the game, the teams will hold a joint practice like they did last week. The Lions and Dan Campbell treat padded practice, especially joint practices, with the same intensity they would treat a game.
That said, one Lions defender thinks the Dolphins aren't ready to practice against the Lions. According to Miami Dolphins on SI writer Alain Poupart, on Tuesday, linebacker Grant Stuard said, "I don’t know if they’re ready, I’m gonna keep it a stack. I’ve played at other places and played against that team last year, and joint practiced against that team twice when I was in Tampa. I don’t know if they practice how we practice."
Though Stuard's comments are strong, they may not be incorrect based on recent events.
Whoa! Check out these comments from Lions LB Grant Stuard about facing the Dolphins in joint practices, courtesy of Detroit Lions On SI and my man, Doc: “I don’t know if they’re ready, I’m gonna keep it a stack. I’ve played at other places and played against that team last year,…
— Alain Poupart (@PoupartNFL) August 12, 2025
Lions LB Grant Stuard Calls out Dolphins Ahead of Joint Practice
Last week, the Dolphins practiced against the Lions' division rival, the Chicago Bears. During that practice, Chicago reporters were documenting how much more physical the Bears were being than the Dolphins. On the flip side, one Dolphins reporter complained that the Bears were being too physical.
From a Dolphins reporter… pic.twitter.com/aXxAssQPCM
— Kirsten Tanis (@Kirsten_Tanis1) August 9, 2025
It's a padded football practice with players competing to earn jobs and players trying to inject their new coach's intensity into practice, so yes, it's going to be physical. Sure, there are certain precautions that need to be taken to make sure everyone is safe. However, if Ben Johnson, Mike McDaniel, or the referees thought anyone was being too physical, that player would have been thrown out of practice.
With that being said, if the Dolphins report that Chicago was being too physical, they are in for a rude awakening when coming to practice against Detroit. As Stuard mentioned, the Lions have some of the most physical practices in the NFL. That is where Ben Johnson learned to hold physical and intense practices.
Under McDaniel, Miami has shown on multiple occasions that they aren't built to play tough football. Although much of that comes from the Dolphins' failure in cold-weather games during the playoffs, it seems to be following them into practices.
Nevertheless, if Miami doesn't show up ready for physicality, Detroit will eat them alive during joint practice like Stuard is predicting.