Lions nose tackle Isaiah Buggs was the focus of attention on Monday. As is often the case when a nose tackle is prominent, it’s not a positive for the big man.
Buggs acknowledged that he’s been benched by head coach Dan Campbell for the Week 1 opener in Kansas City. It has nothing to do with the injury that he suffered in the preseason finale against the Giants, which he labeled as simply “just got shook up.” And it also is unrelated to the illness that kept him out of Saturday’s practice session, when he was the only Lions player not a participant in the period open to the media.
Buy Lions Tickets“I’m going to be straightforward with it, because they were straightforward with me with that,” Buggs declared. “And as of right now, I will not be playing.”
He added,
“I didn’t know that. It was a surprise to me, actually. That’s why I say — you don’t always know everything.”
Considered a locker room pillar and fresh off receiving a nice two-year contract earlier this offseason, it’s an unusual decision. Buggs is the projected starter at DT along with Alim McNeill.
“You thinking they’re all in with you, and then, ‘Boom.’ With a snap of your finger, it’s like that. Like I said, I’ve always been a team player, I’ve always been a role player. Whatever they have for me, that’s what I’m going to do.”
The Lions have Benito Jones and third-round rookie Brodric Martin to play the nose in Buggs’ place. Levi Onwuzurike can also fill in at DT alongside McNeill, who can play any spot on the interior.
Buggs also downplayed the ambiguously ominous social media posts that sent Lions fans agog over the weekend.
“It’s nothing to address, to be honest,” Buggs said. “It’s nothing to address. Like I say, things change, relationships change. There’s nothing to address, honestly,” Buggs said. “I’m just saying in life, period. It’s nothing dealing with football. It’s nothing dealing with here (the Lions). I’m just saying, so I don’t want anybody to take that context and run with it. But at the same time, relationships do change. That’s all I’m going to say, it’s nothing else to say about that.”
