Tag: Dan Campbell

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell looks on at a timeout during the second half against Buffalo Bills at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024.

Dan Campbell: Loss ‘exactly what Lions needed’ to flush ‘filet’ mindset

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Contrary to near-unanimous NFL coaching opinion, maybe there is such a thing as a good loss.

Lions coach Dan Campbell was open to considering the merit of a quality defeat based largely on the timing of Detroit dropping Sunday’s game to the Buffalo Bills, 48-42, to snap an 11-game winning streak that began Sept. 22.

“What happens is, you get used to eating filet. And I’m talking all of us. And everything’s good,” Campbell said Tuesday morning in a gravelly, gavel-pounding reply to how the Lions respond to losing to Buffalo. “Life’s good, you know?

“But you forgot what it was like when you had nothing and you ate your (expletive) molded bread. And it was just fine. And it gave you everything you needed. And sometimes you gotta get punched in the mouth and remember what it used to be like to really appreciate where you are. And we’ll do that.”

It was a loss in the standings and for a roster decimated by injuries. Running back David Montgomery, cornerback Carlton Davis III and defensive tackle Alim McNeill suffered season-ending injuries against the Bills. Campbell said Davis, who broke his jaw and required surgery, might be a candidate to return in the postseason, but any timeline would be determined during his active recovery.

“And so, we got bad tastes in our mouth, we got kicked around the other day. We lost a few guys. And you know what? It’s exactly what we needed,” Campbell continued.

“This is exactly what we needed. So we’re going to bounce back. We’re going to respond. We got guys who are about to have an unbelievable opportunity here. And we will play the game any way needed to win. We still got a good offense. We got plenty of defensive players. I can go rattle them off right now. We’re gonna put the best 11 on the field, we’re gonna freakin’ cut it loose, we’re gonna play with our special teams.

“And I don’t give a crap if we have to win by one point for the rest of the year, that’s what we’re gonna do. And I’m gonna be happy about it. We come out of the game with 50 yards of total offense and we win by one, you’re gonna see smiles on my face, I promise you. If it’s the other way defensively, we give up 700 yards and we win by one point, you’re gonna see a (expletive) smile from my ear to ear. I promise you.”

The Lions (12-2) take their rage on the road this week to play at Chicago in the rematch of a Thanksgiving Day game likely to be remembered for a long time in both cities. The Bears currently are in the midst of an eight-game losing streak that includes the 23-20 holiday setback at Ford Field that resulted in the firing of head coach Matt Eberflus.

Detroit clinched a playoff spot and can still finish first in the NFC to receive a bye and home-field advantage. The Lions travel to San Francisco for a Monday night game on Dec. 30 before what could be a trophy game deciding the North division when the Vikings visit Ford Field in Week 18.

Campbell said there is no proxy for the hard-nosed, red-zone machine Montgomery sitting on the practice squad with the Lions or elsewhere.

But Detroit might have trained reinforcements at cornerback in the near future. Ifeatu Melifonwu hasn’t played this season due to an Achilles injury and a broken finger, but Campbell implied his return-to-practice window would open this week. Rookie cornerback Ennis Rakestraw Jr. remains sidelined with a hamstring injury and his return, while not this week at Chicago, could be near.

“We’re gonna find a way,” Campbell said, “and we’re gonna get it done.”

–Field Level Media

Oct 20, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) reacts with wide receiver Jameson Williams (9) after catching a 35 yard touchdown pass from quarterback Jared Goff (not pictured) against the Minnesota Vikings the second quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Citing ‘heart, growth’ Lions’ coach maintains support of WR Jameson Williams

Posted on | by Field Level Media

For the second week in a row, Lions head coach Dan Campbell spent a considerable portion of his Wednesday press conference verbalizing full support of suspended wide receiver Jameson Williams.

Campbell came to the defense of Williams as the latest off-field issue — and possible arrest — involving the former first-round pick came to light.

“Look, for me, I judge people over what’s in their heart, and I know what this kid’s made of and he’s worth hanging with,” Campbell said Wednesday.

Prosecutors are looking into whether Williams should be arrested in connection with a police stop on Oct. 8, according to Fox 2 in Detroit.

Authorities found two guns in a car driven by Williams’ brother, who was stopped for speeding, according to multiple reports. A pistol registered to Williams was found beneath his set, but he didn’t have a concealed pistol license required to transport a weapon in Michigan.

Campbell said they learned of the stop from Williams immediately after it took place.

“It certainly doesn’t look good. I get that,” Campbell said when asked about Williams potentially facing a third NFL suspension. “But at the same token, it kind of all came on here at the same time. And it’s really decision-making for him. And that’s where he knows he can be better. Don’t put yourself in those situations. He’s going to learn from this. I still think there’s been a ton of growth out of this kid.”

Williams has 17 receptions for 361 yards and three touchdowns through six games (four starts) this season.

Reacting to a suspension for performance-enhancing substances that began last week, Campbell took a similar tone last Wednesday. He said the team trusts Williams and will support him through the suspension.

“I trust this kid,” Campbell said Oct. 23. “I trust him. Unfortunately, you’ve got to pay for your sins. Something happens, and if this comes down, so be it. But I know this, we dangled a rope down on the way up. We can’t wait for anybody. Over a year ago, he started climbing his way up, and he got to us. Maybe he lost his grip, but he’ll climb back up again. That rope is still there. It’s tied to us, and he’ll be just fine. He’s part of this team, and I trust him.”

The 23-year-old served a four-game suspension in 2023 for using a mobile device to bet on non-NFL games while at a team facility. While the league hasn’t said Williams is facing a third suspension, the NFL can suspend players for off-field conduct and can consider the gravity of cumulative negative publicity.

Cowboys defensive end Sam Williams was hit with a three-game ban by the NFL earlier this week. Williams was charged with possession of a controlled substance and unlawful carrying of a weapon in August 2023 and had a previous citation for driving recklessly at speeds over 100 mph.

Selected 12th overall in the 2022 NFL Draft out of Alabama, Williams missed 11 games his rookie season because of an ACL injury in his final college game.

He has 42 receptions on 81 targets for 756 yards and six TDs in 24 career games (14 starts).

–Field Level Media

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell watches a play against Pittsburgh Steelers during the first half of a preseason game at Ford Field in Detroit on Saturday, August 24, 2024.

Report: Lions coach Dan Campbell sells home over security fears

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Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell and his family have moved to a new home in the metro area, forced to list their former house for sale out of security fears.

Crain’s Detroit Business reported the Campbells’ address got out online, leading to pranks and harassment on multiple occasions. After the Lions lost to the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC title game in January, the family filed a police report over harassment, Fox 2 Detroit reported.

The publication said Campbell and his wife, Holly, bought what it described as a 7,800-square-foot Cape Cod-style “mansion” in Oakland County, Mich., in 2021.

“The home is beautiful,” Campbell told Crain’s. “It’s just that people figured out where we lived when we lost.”

While Campbell gave no information about the family’s new home, the old one was listed on Zillow at $4.5 million on Tuesday and was under contract the same day. Per Zillow information, the five-bedroom, seven-plus bathroom home set on 1.72 acres sold for $3.5 million in March 2021.

Campbell’s Lions were 3-13-1 in his first season in 2021 but have gone 22-14 since.

–Field Level Media

Feb 27, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell talks to the media at the 2024 NFL Combine at Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Coach Dan Campbell to miss Lions’ rookie minicamp

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The Detroit Lions will hold rookie minicamp this weekend without coach Dan Campbell, who is away from the team for unspecified personal reasons.

Campbell is expected to return to the team later this month, the Detroit Free Press reported Friday. The next scheduled event is May 21-23 with organized team activity practices.

The team’s draft picks, undrafted free agents and tryout players are among those at the three-day camp in Allen Park, Mich.

The Lions had six picks in last month’s NFL draft, headlined by a pair of cornerbacks — first-round selection Terrion Arnold (Alabama) and second-rounder Ennis Rakestraw Jr. (Missouri).

The team also has brought in 15 undrafted free agents.

The Lions finished the 2023 season with a 12-5 record and won the NFC North. Detroit reached the conference title game but lost, 34-31, to the San Francisco 49ers.

–Field Level Media

Detroit Lions GM Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell walk off the field after practice Thursday, July 28, 2022 at the Allen Park practice facility. Lions1

Lions extend contracts of coach Dan Campbell, GM Brad Holmes

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Fresh off their second-ever appearance in the NFC championship game, the Detroit Lions rewarded head coach Dan Campbell and general manager Brad Holmes with contract extensions through the 2027 season on Thursday.

The team did not announce financial terms.

“We are thrilled to have Brad and Dan under contract for the next four seasons,” said Sheila Hamp, the team’s principal owner and chair. “They have been the driving force behind the rebuild of our football team and the success that we have enjoyed. The continuity they provide for our football program will continue to be the key to our future success on the field.”

Seeking a total turnaround from the Matt Patricia era, when the Lions were 14-33-1, Hamp hired Holmes and Campbell before the 2021 season.

In that first campaign, the team was 3-13-1 as it worked to create an identity under the new coaching staff and new quarterback Jared Goff. A 9-8 season followed before the Lions won the NFC North with a 12-5 record and had a 24-7 lead on the San Francisco 49ers in the conference title game before losing 34-31.

Holmes, who went to Detroit from the Los Angeles Rams, is credited with building the Lions through strong draft picks, including Penei Sewell (2021, No. 7 overall), Alim McNeill (2021, No. 72 overall), Amon-Ra St. Brown (2021, No. 112 overall), Aidan Hutchinson (2022, No. 2 overall), Jameson Williams (2022, No. 12 overall), Kerby Joseph (2022, No. 97 overall), Jahmyr Gibbs (2023, No. 12 overall), Jack Campbell (2023, No. 18 overall), Sam LaPorta (2023, No. 34 overall) and Brian Branch (2023, No. 45 overall).

He was named NFL Executive of the Year in 2023 by the Pro Football Writers of America.

The team also announced an extension for Chris Spielman, a former standout linebacker for the Lions who serves as special assistant to Hamp and team president/CEO Ron Wood.

“I could not be more proud of the work that Brad, Dan and Chris have done for our organization,” Wood said. “They have selflessly worked together to build a winning culture within the Lions. I am excited to continue working with them to create the sustained success that we envision for the team, our fans, and the city of Detroit.”

–Field Level Media

Dec 16, 2023; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Lions center Frank Ragnow (77) gets ready to snap the ball in the first half against the Denver Broncos at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: David Reginek-USA TODAY Sports

Despite multiple injuries, Lions C Frank Ragnow set to play Sunday

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Detroit Lions center Frank Ragnow apparently isn’t going to let injuries to his knee, ankle, toe and back keep him out of Sunday’s NFC Championship Game against the San Francisco 49ers.

He’s been listed on the injury report with those ailments this week and missed practice sessions Wednesday and Thursday. But head coach Dan Campbell told reporters Friday that Ragnow will be on the field Sunday in Santa Clara, Calif.

“He’s good,” Campbell said before practice on Friday. “You know Frank. Frank’s doing well. And Frank will be ready to go. I mean, you’re not going to hold him out of this one. And he gets better every day. So, he’ll be ready.”

Ragnow, 27, returned to practice Friday with a sleeve on his left leg. He suffered a sprained knee and ankle in the NFC divisional game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last weekend but didn’t miss a snap.

The Lions selected Ragnow with the 20th overall pick of the 2018 NFL Draft. Since then, he’s appeared in 80 games (all starts), including 15 this season. Injuries limited the three-time Pro Bowl selection to just four games in 2021.

Guard Jonah Jackson (knee) and wide receiver Kalif Raymond (knee) remained out of practice on Friday and aren’t likely to play.

–Field Level Media

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell on the field during warmups before action against the Las Vegas Raiders at Ford Field, Monday, Oct. 30, 2023.

Lions’ Dan Campbell willing to ‘help’ alma mater Texas A&M, not coach

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Lions head coach Dan Campbell is willing to help his alma mater, but he doesn’t sound ready to leave his job in Detroit to return to Texas A&M.

Asked Friday if he has heard from anyone at Texas A&M about the coaching job since the Aggies fired Jimbo Fisher, Campbell replied, “Um, maybe.”

“But that’s all good. Certainly I know some people there and I love my school. That’s my alma mater and I want to do anything I can to help them but coach for them.”

Campbell grew up two hours from College Station in Clifton, Texas, and played tight end at Texas A&M from 1995-98.

He said he’ll share his thoughts and contacts with officials looking for Fisher’s replacement, but insists he’s not the guy for that job.

“Certainly, the hire is important and it needs to be somebody who understands the state of Texas, understands the history of Texas A&M and can communicate with young people and develop them,” Campbell said. “That’s where it starts, and strong leadership.”

Campbell’s Lions (7-2) lead the NFC North division by 1 1/2 games over the Minnesota Vikings and trail only the Philadelphia Eagles (8-1) in the NFC chase for homefield advantage in the postseason.

Campbell, 47, is in his third season as head coach of the Lions and has a record of 19-23-1 with Detroit. He signed a six-year contract when he took the job in January 2021.

–Field Level Media

Detroit Lions kicks off season opener against the Chicago Bears at Ford Field in Detroit, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2020. Img 09132020 Lions 1stha 1

Buying the hype: Lions season tickets sell out

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Fans in Detroit are buying into the 2023 Lions — and gobbling up season tickets.

The team announced Thursday that all season tickets have been sold, the first time the Lions have reached that mark since the 65,000-seat Ford Field opened in downtown Detroit in 2002.

“This is an exciting moment for our franchise. To reach this milestone as we celebrate our 90th season of Detroit Lions football makes the moment even more special,” said Rod Wood, the team’s president and CEO, in a statement. “The Lions have always enjoyed a loyal and multi-generational fan base that has been the bedrock of our fanbase. We can’t wait for the home field advantage that this will create inside Ford Field this season.”

The Lions even will take names for a 2024 waiting list.

This is a long-awaited turn of support for the Lions, who saw fans wearing paper bags on their heads as the team went winless in 2008 and struggled in subsequent seasons. They Lions have made the playoffs just three times since 2008, losing in the wild-card round in 2011, 2014 and 2016.

Coach Dan Campbell’s team finished 9-8 in 2022 but are considered the early favorites to win the NFC North in 2023. The Lions will get an immediate test in Week 1, when they travel to Kansas City on Sept. 7 to meet the Super Bowl champion Chiefs in the season opener.

When training camp opened, Campbell acknowledged the frenzy around his team.

“I think as always, the thing that’s gonna worry you is the hype train,” Campbell said at camp in Allen Park, Mich., per ESPN. “I mean, as with most coaches, this thing is just taking off and it’s out of control right now and that’s fine, as long as we stay focused on the job at hand and the work. I just keep going back to that. We’ve got to put the work in and earn it.”

–Field Level Media

Lions coach Dan Campbell watches the action during minicamp on Thursday, June 8, 2023, in Allen Park.

Dan Campbell: Hype around Lions ‘out of control right now’

Posted on | by Field Level Media

As his Detroit Lions opened training camp on Sunday, coach Dan Campbell cautioned it’s time to start work and tone down the buzz around his team.

Fueled by a combination of their appearance on “Hard Knocks” last preseason, a charismatic head coach in Campbell and a young roster than won eight of the final 10 games in 2022, the Lions have become a fan favorite across the country as the new season approaches.

Even the sports books have bought into the Lions, with BetMGM offering Detroit at +2000 to win Super Bowl LVIII. This time of year, there’s usually another “0” at the end of that betting line.

“I think as always, the thing that’s gonna worry you is the hype train,” Campbell said at camp in Allen Park, Mich., per ESPN. “I mean, as with most coaches, this thing is just taking off and it’s out of control right now and that’s fine, as long as we stay focused on the job at hand and the work. I just keep going back to that. We’ve got to put the work in and earn it.”

The Lions won four NFL championships, the last of them coming in 1957, but are one of just four teams — the Cleveland Browns, Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars the others — never to play in a Super Bowl. Since 1993, they’ve made the playoffs eight times and lost in the wild-card round each year.

But this year, they are the betting favorite to win the NFC North. Campbell said it’s his job to remind the Lions they have work to do.

“I think you just keep the message consistent, and you call it what it is, and it just goes back to the work,” Campbell said. “And when you see it not going that way or we have some guys that are deviating a little bit, or they think they’ve arrived and they haven’t, you call them out on it.”

Quarterback Jared Goff, who played in Super Bowl LIII with the Los Angeles Rams, said Campbell is good at keeping the locker room humbled and that the attention surrounding the team hasn’t been earned. Yet.

“I think it’s funny to me that like you go 9-8, you don’t make the playoffs and now you’re all of a sudden the favorite,” Goff said, per ESPN. “Of course, we’ve got good players, we’ve got good coaches, we’ve got a good team, but we haven’t done anything.

“We have a lot of work to do. Minnesota won 13 games last year, Green Bay’s won the division a handful of times in the last handful of years, so we’ve got some work to do to put the stamp on who we want to be and are nowhere near that yet, but are on our way.”

The Lions will be put to the test immediately when they open the season Sept. 7 on the road against the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. It’s the first of four games for the Lions in prime time, in addition to their annual Thanksgiving game.

–Field Level Media

Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell during the second half against the Philadelphia Eagles at Ford Field, Sept. 11, 2022. Nfl Philadelphia Eagles At Detroit Lions

Lions’ king: Dan Campbell garners huge early COY support

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Dan Campbell is the people’s choice for NFL Coach of the Year through two weeks of the 2022 season.

The Lions are 1-1 but tested the Philadelphia Eagles in a furious comeback that fell short in Week 1. At BetMGM, Campbell is on 24.3 percent of Coach of the Year futures tickets and as 18.3 percent of the total handle in that market.

Dolphins first-year head coach Mike McDaniel has become the favorite on the board after a 2-0 start, dropping from +1600 to +500 two weeks into the season. Still, he’s named on just 3.7 percent of tickets at BetMGM with a whopping 24.2 percent of the total handle.

Giants head coach Brian Daboll, also 2-0, is now +800 after opening at +2200.

Campbell is behind Jaguars coach Doug Pederson and Chargers coach Brandon Staley on the board.

At Caesars Sportsbook, Campbell is +2000 with McDaniel (+600), Daboll (+750), Eagles coach Nick Sirianni (+800) and Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell (+900) topping the board.

But there’s no doubt that Campbell, the former NFL tight end, became a relatable follow almost instantly when the Lions introduced him prior to the 2021 season. He has the vocabulary of a left-lane trucker and the intensity of the underdog fighting for every inch of respect.

Detroit flopped in 2021 but after adding more young talent, including No. 2 pick Aidan Hutchinson, the Lions garnered national attention as the featured attraction on “Hard Knocks.” The HBO documentary further revealed Campbell as the tobacco-chomping everyman with the motivational angles to get the most out of his overlooked group.

–Field Level Media