LIONS HEAD COACH DAN CAMPBELL QUOTE SHEET

January 15, 2024

Opening Statement: “I’ll just start with – look, the fans, again, yesterday, I can’t stress enough how awesome that was. And really happy for everybody here. I know that’s been a long time coming, and man it felt good to deliver that, but we’re not done. That’s the beginning, so we got one, we’ve got another one coming up, got work to do. We’ll find out tonight who that is. As far as the game yesterday, it’s what we talked about last night, man red zone offense, red zone defense, we complemented each other really well. Offense came out striking and then defensively we were able to keep them out, hold them to three instead of them getting seven and between (Lions K Michael) Badgley’s field goal, which was huge and then (Lions P Jack) Fox flipping the field for us, it was just – it took all three phases, and everybody had a part in that. Coordinators did a heck of a job just making adjustments and we found a way to win that game, that’s what it’s about. So, obviously (Lions QB Jared) Goff and (Lions WR Josh) Reynolds were the – really, our game ball winners on offense. (Lions WR Amon-Ra) St. Brown had a monster game again. (Lions TE Sam) LaPorta, it was good to see him, what a tough kid. I mean, to be a rookie and to do what he was able to do, was confident enough to get out there and help us. (Lions DL Aidan Hutchinson) Hutch on defense really showed up his last two rushes, man the one where he drew the penalty, that was huge. I thought (Lions LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin) Germ and (Lions S) Kerby (Joseph) really showed up and then we talked about on special teams, Fox and Badge, (Lions CB Khalil Dorsey) Dorse, man was smoking as a gunner on punt. That helped those – you get them pinned in the 10 twice and the eight once and (Lions LS Jake) McQuaide, just been steady all year for us since we’ve gotten him on the snap, so – but certainly, a lot of guys did a really good job for us and it was a heck of a win.”

On how they start preparation for this week not knowing who they will play until tonight: “Yeah, I think, well, for us, we’re onto Philly a little bit only because we have – we played Tampa, so we have an idea. We have things that we know about them and so just take a peek at Philly, so that at least we’re – we somewhat have a head start, but we’re not all in and it’s really going to be more on we’ve got to see what happens tonight.”

On if there is any benefit to watching the Eagles and Buccaneers game live tonight to see how the teams play in real time versus watching film when the game is over: “Yeah, I think you get a benefit from watching it every way you can watch it. The feed that we have, the different cut-up feeds that we have, but also the TV copy. I think you can always find pretty good nuggets.”

On how Lions LB Alex Anzalone came out of the game against the Rams injury-wise and how valuable he is to the team battling through injury: “Yeah, I think he’ll be alright. It doesn’t feel great, but he’s going to be – I know he left here after getting some treatment on it better than he walked in and that’s what you’re looking for. Look, Alex is tough. He’s been through this. And it does, it means a lot. I mean, that’s really what we’re built off here and it – and ultimately, it comes down to what the player believes they can do. If they believe they can still produce not being 100 percent, then that’s the difference and we have a ton of guys that are that way.”

On changes they have made to the defense the last few weeks that has led to improvement: “Yeah, I really don’t want to get into that. I think there’s things on tape, but I don’t want to get into schematically what we’re changing and what we’re doing. We’re doing a good job though. It’s a good job by (Lions Defensive Coordinator Aaron Glenn) AG. So, I just don’t – I don’t want to get into all that.”

On when he noticed he and Lions Executive Vice President and General Manager Brad Holmes had good chemistry and if he could have imagined the type of relationship they have now: “Well, I knew it felt right, the first phone call we ever had after he had been hired and then I got hired and so really before that, we had a phone call. It was really right before I was – that I took the job, and it was just kind of an intro. And man, I could tell there’s – for a first phone call for somebody you don’t know yet, we had mutual contacts. We have people that both of us, we have mutual friends that we have a lot of trust in and it was – I could tell it was – it felt like it was going to be right. And then once I got around him, it was, man I – you could – I could feel that early. It’s one of those, well if this is who he is and this doesn’t change, we’re going to be just fine. And sure enough, he’s everything that I thought he was going to be from those first meetings, everyth9ing that I had heard about him and it’s just – we’re fortunate, but it’s also – it’s a great job by (Lions Principal Owner and Chair) Sheila (Ford Hamp), (Lions Special Assistant to President/CEO and Chairperson) Chris Spielman, (Lions President) Rod (Wood), those guys identifying that they felt like we would be compatible and that we saw things very much alike and we are, we do. We see – we’re very similar in the way that we view players, view a team, how we want to build it. And I have things and I have a certain vision and Brad has helped me by the type of players we acquire and what we look for, I mean he’s given me that. He’s helped me. So, listen, that’s – the GM and head coach have to have a healthy relationship and it starts with ownership, but then that’s the next most important by far. And if you don’t have that, you just can’t sustain success.”

On how he manages the coordinators’ time to make sure they have the opportunity to explore interviews with other teams this week while also preparing for Sunday’s game: “Yeah, I mean, the best we can do is it’ll have to be Friday and a little bit of Saturday. So, Friday afternoon after practice is done, they’re going to have to crunch them in there. They’re already working on scheduling it. And then Saturday, there’ll be a small window in there after practice, before night meetings and that’s it. I mean, it’s – we’re in one of those crazy years. Well first of all, they’re both – like I said, those are worthy candidates and I think they’re, both of them, should be at the top of everybody’s list, but we’re in one of these unique years where there’s a ton of jobs available. And so, that’s also why they all want to speak to them, and they should. But that does, that puts a stress on them, on us. But they’ll do the best they can with it, make the most of it, which they should. And then – but they’ll be prepared for us to get ready (for) the next game.”

On if he has come down from the emotional high of last night’s game and how he gets back into normal game planning: “I didn’t sleep very much at all. I couldn’t sleep, but I think – I don’t know – look, it’s like I said last night, believe me, it feels good to win. It feels good to do that, but I’m so much into right now, the next one, the next thing here. It’s right in front of us and it’s all about the next one. And how do we stay right where we’re at, make some corrections and get ready for this next one, the next home game because I just know the opportunity we’ve got here. And so, I don’t – I can’t quite go there if that make sense. Believe me, I’m excited. Don’t think for a minute I’m not, but I just know we’ve got an opportunity here and I’m going to make sure that I’m on my – I’m on it.”

On if he was watching film last night when he could not sleep: “Just, honestly, I had a fire going, had the TV on. I’m thinking about – just thinking about the game, just going back through the game in my head. I didn’t watch the game until this morning. Go back through it, I’m just thinking, reliving it a little bit. I don’t – as much as I can, I try not to watch the game right after because I don’t like to grade it emotionally. Try to step back from it for a minute. And that’s just it, it’s just you’re just thinking about the whole thing, every situation that comes back up, the players, what you did, what you didn’t do. But it was good. I mean listen, it feels good to win.”

On if he has ‘kept receipts’ from three years ago to be able to say ‘I told you so’ after the progress the team has made: “Yeah, I’ve got a whole ton of those, but it’s not time to pull those out yet. There will be a time and place for that.”

On his satisfaction with the three-safety rotation and what it is like to have three distinct skillsets available at the position: “It’s been good for us, and there again, we feel like those are three quality football players. We know what (Lions DB C.J. Gardner-Johnson) Ducey’s capable of. It’s good to get him back and be a part of us out there. But obviously, (Lions S Ifeatu Melifonwu) Iffy, it was kind of a quiet night for Iffy, but yet, man, he did his job. He was productive, winning grade. And then certainly, (Lions S) Kerby (Joseph) really showed up for us. So, it’s been good for us. We had a couple packages for Ducey in there on third down, so we’re in a good place. We’re fortune to have three of those guys right now.”

On where the defense can grow in terms of limiting big production from wide receivers ahead of the talent they are about to face: “Yeah, look I think there’s – the first thing is, we gave up a couple of explosive touchdowns and I feel like we can correct those to – it’s one thing to give up an explosive, but we can be better there. Now, both of those players responded well after the fact, which is great. But I think the other thing is they caught a couple of looks on us, they’re checking into some of these plays to where they create interference, some of these man-beaters. And I think we can handle those things better. We know what’s coming. If they’re going to do that to us, we can find a better way to get through some of those. And look, we made some adjustments second half too that helped us in that area, but I just go back to this, we have to play a certain – we have to play a certain way. And ultimately, the answer to all of this is we have to play as a team. It takes three phases. That’s ultimately the answer to all of it. So, you ask about defense, it takes three phases, and the other two have got to step up. And just like when the offense, we weren’t able to put up the points in the second half, the defense kept them out of the endzone. So, we just find ways in all three phases. We’ve got to continue to find an advantage over the opponent and go from there.”

On if he can explain what happened near the end of the game when they reset the play clock: “No, I cannot. I cannot. I mean they tried – they communicated so that, ‘We’re just having some trouble getting it set to where it should be. We just want to make sure that it’s’ – and so I don’t – that was the best I got. I don’t know what had happened, I don’t know who was – but I’m sitting there waiting for the clock to be reset like you were, so.”

On if the atmosphere at Ford Field last night met his high expectations: “Listen, it was – yeah, I think it was on-par with what I expected. And there again, it was probably the best I’ve ever been a part of. I mean it was – that was – so much of it was the fact that the thing started an hour before the game and it was just four hours of nonstop barrage of the fans just going off and the chants for (Lions QB Jared) Goff and it was just – what a special, special environment. I mean for anybody that was there, you’ll never forget that. You will never – for the rest of your life, that will be something you’re talking about. That was special.”