LIONS HEAD COACH DAN CAMPBELL QUOTE SHEET

November 29, 2023        

Opening Statement: “I’ve got a lot of respect for (Saints Head Coach) Dennis Allen. Certainly, I coached with him, I played with him at A&M, coached with him for five years at the Saints. He’s a heck of a coach. Very detail-oriented, tough minded and the team plays that way. And there’s a number of coaches on staff that I was with that I have a lot of respect for. I know how they work there. (Saints Executive Vice President/General Manager) Mickey Loomis, the GM, think highly, obviously, of him. And then certainly some of the players that are still there. And I know what they’re made of. I know they’re prideful guys. They’re tough. They’re a tough opponent in the Superdome and they’re going to be ready to go. So, this is a big task for us. This is a big game and there’s going to be nothing easy about this. But we’re excited about the opportunity to be able to go there and put our best foot forward. So, this will be a good week.”

On what being in New Orleans meant to him and his career and what food he is looking forward to having: “Yeah, I – somebody asked me that the other day. Shrimp gumbo is like my – I mean down there, it’s as good as gold. But look, had good years down there. Myself, (Lions Defensive Coordinator Aaron Glenn) AG, (Lions LB) Alex (Anzalone) was there, (Lions QB) Teddy (Bridgewater) was there for a little bit. We won a lot of games under (Broncos Head) Coach (Sean) Payton and there’s still a number of guys that are there that were a part of that. So, it’s – listen, it was a winning organization, still is, but my time there, things were run right, they were done right and there was a winning attitude, winning atmosphere and that’s what it was all about. It’s just special and that’s why it will always be special. To be able to go back and play there makes it special.”

On how his time being a part of the Saints organization under Sean Payton shaped him as a coach: “Yeah, I mean – well look, I think there’s a number of things we do here that have come from there. My own thoughts, influences, as well as (Lions Executive Vice President and General Manager) Brad (Holmes), where he came from, and both places (are) winning organizations. But it’s – the thing that you always realized when you stepped in there with (Saints Executive Vice President/General Manager) Mickey (Loomis) and Sean (Payton) was, man, it was all about the team, and the team started with the GM and the Head Coach. That’s where the team started. And there was never any divide, there was never any, ‘This is our guy. We’re the scouts, this is our guy. He needs to be playing, he needs to be this.’ The coaches say, ‘No, we don’t trust this guy.’ Everybody was in the same boat, same way with the Draft, same way with playing players, it was – there was never a divide. It was our guy, and it was the way that we worked. And every resource in the building was to help the Head Coach and GM be the most successful they could be. So, that first and foremost, is the most important thing of any organization and Mrs. (Owner & Chief Executive Officer Gayle) Benson giving the resources needed to have success, I mean just critically important. So, that’s where it always starts.”

On what he felt he accomplished in the time off after the Green Bay game and how he feels the team is setup for this week: “Certainly, a little recovery. That’s big. Just a little bit of rest and recovery when you have two games in five days or four days. That goes a long way, just kind of having three days to kind of shake some of that off. But it also gives you a minute to just kind of step back and really, like I mentioned, you get a chance because of that fact, two games in five days, you can go back and watch Chicago, you can go back and watch Green Bay and kind of gather your thoughts in a two-game sequence, just where can we really help and get a little bit better? So, those go a long way on top of the fact (that) now you’re getting ready for this opponent.”

On if he anticipates any personnel changes given the extra time to plan after the Green Bay game: “Yeah, I would say you look at everything. I think it’s – you do step back and you say, ‘Alright, is there somebody we need to get a look at in this position whether it be who’s currently a backup for us, somebody that’s been inactive or our vet squad.’ I mean we are constantly looking at that. We tell those guys all the time, ‘You earn your right to go out there and play and don’t ever think you’re just out here being a show team. That’s not what all this is. Yes, you’re giving a look, but you’re working your craft. And the better you get, the more you catch the eyes of everybody in this building.’ And then it makes you want to give them an opportunity to see what they’ve got. If it’s showing up in practice, well maybe it shows up in the game, so.”

On if he found any personnel changes he wants to make: “Maybe.”

On if he sees a different sense of hunger from the team at this point going forward: “I would say this, I don’t feel – the hunger has been there. I don’t feel like that’s dwindled away or drifted. That’s been there. And I think if anything, we understand the areas of improvement, where we must improve and it’s ball security. And that’s everybody. That’s not – I’m not just talking about (Lions QB Jared) Goff, I’m talking about – and there’s a number of plays that we didn’t fumble that those balls are just dying to come out of our hand. Like we are not secure with the football. We’ve got to get back to what we do and take care of it. And there’s a number of ways that you play the game and how we function, I mentioned this, receivers getting in the routes that help with those things. But I feel like, look, they just came in here, we had meetings, we just finished a walkthrough. I like where they’re at. I don’t feel – I feel like it’s a team that’s ready to go, ready to work. So, I feel like we’re where we’ve been. We’re good. We just eliminate some mistakes here.”

On if there is a level of influence that Saints Head Coach Dennis Allen has had on him from their shared time together: “I think more than anything, not necessarily – look, I’ve always respected him because of – man, when we played, he played safety over there for our defense, started for us, which was not an easy task at A&M when we had some pretty good defenders for a number of years out there and he was always – he was the quarterback. I mean he was the quarterback of the defense, particularly the backend. So, highly intelligent, smart, can anticipate. And as a coach, he’s that way. And so, if anything, I – you just take away the little nuances of how he goes about his business as a defensive coordinator and the way he coaches and his detail. And he’s sound, it’s sound, it’s smart, they play tough ball. He’s coached it all, he’s lived in the secondary room, but he coached D-line for a number of years when he was at New Orleans, he was assistant D-line coach. So, he's got a hand in the whole defense. He understands how it all works. From everything, from the games on the third down, the stunt games, to the pressures, the backends. So, that’s what makes him so good, I think one of the things. But listen, he’s done a great job. He really has. And I just – this team does not make mistakes. Opportunistic defense and they’re going to try to make you mess it up.”

On what gives him the confidence that the other linebackers can step up if Lions LB Alex Anzalone is out due to injury: “Well, number one they’ve all played for us. (Lions LB) Jack (Campbell)’s taken a number of reps, as (Lions LB Derrick) Barnes. (Lions LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin) Germ’s played in this League. (Lions LB Malcolm Rodriguez) Rodrigo started for us most of the year last year. So, I kind of mentioned this before, if there’s an area where we have a significant amount of depth, it’s in that room. So, we have a ton of confidence. Anytime you lose a player like Alex, if that’s the case, it’s not easy, but we do feel good about that room, man. We think they’re – we’re going to ask them to do what they do best, and I think they’re going to do a good job for us this week.”

On their plans for Lions LB Malcolm Rodriguez on offense and defense if Lions LB Alex Anzalone cannot play: “Yeah, I mean he’s going to have to take on a bigger load. He plays a little bit on defense and he’s going to – we’re going to need him more on offense too. So, we’re going to stretch him out here a little bit, but he can handle it.”

On Lions LB Malcolm Rodriguez catching a pass in the Green Bay game: “He’s got hands too. You saw that. He can flip his hips. He’s tough, he’s got leverage, he’s smart. So, it’s pretty impressive. It’s pretty impressive.”

On if there will be a competition for the fullback role with Lions LB Malcolm Rodriguez when Lions FB Jason Cabinda returns from injury: “Yeah, I think it’s – as of right now, man, we’re maximizing our roster, Cabinda’s continuing to heal, and we’re not forced into doing something we don’t need to do just yet either. So, it’s kind of the combination of those, but Rodrigo’s doing a good job. We haven’t lost sight of Cabinda, but in the moment, it’s – we’re just letting this kid grow a little bit, see where he can go.”