Alex Anzalone: Lions Put NFL 'On Notice' Last Season

Q&A with veteran linebacker Alex Anzalone.

Detroit Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone (34). / Junfu Han-USA TODAY Sports

Detroit Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone is arguably coming off the best season of his career. Anzalone recorded a career-high 129 tackles and was selected as a Pro Bowl alternate. The goal is to now help the Lions win a Super Bowl in 2024 while being an All-Pro talent.

Anzalone recently spoke exclusively with All Lions while discussing his partnership with Campbell's and their new Chunky Spicy Nashville-Style Hot Chicken Soup. Anzalone discussed why it makes for a perfect post-workout meal, playing golf with his teammates, elevating his game to a new level in 2024, Aaron Glenn, and more.

JM: Both you and the Lions had an outstanding season in 2023. How does this team take the next step and win a Super Bowl in 2024?

Alex Anzalone: We had it in our hands last season. It was definitely a learning opportunity. That NFC Championship Game, it was about making the right decisions and executing in key moments. It’s not necessarily always about playing your best game all the time.

We had to make better plays in critical moments. We weren’t able to come up with that during the second half of that championship game. That’s really what hurt us, and I’m not going to lie, it made it tough to deal with and accept. We had it in our hands and we let it get away from us.

The next step is to ensure we stay situationally aware the next time we get there. We have to make the plays that come to us. We have to execute at a high level while doing what we’re coached to do.

JM: LB coach Kelvin Sheppard recently said you're capable of having an All-Pro season in 2024. That sounds like a challenge from your position coach. What was your reaction to his comments?

Anzalone: It’s not like he just threw that out there. He obviously believes I’m capable of it. We’ve discussed it before actually. Both fortunately and unfortunately, I was a Pro Bowl alternate this past season. That’s the next step for me personally, to be an All-Pro linebacker.

I have to make that jump, that leap this year. I have personal goals that I want to achieve this season. Me playing at a high level would help the team inch closer to achieving our goals as well. 

I’m all for being an All-Pro talent this year.

JM: You're the leader of that position room in Detroit and you got to see Jack Campbell grow a lot throughout his rookie season. I’m sure you were one of his mentors. What is his best asset you'd say?

Anzalone: He obviously had to deal with the expectations of being a first-round draft pick, and rightfully so. At the same time, there’s an adjustment period every rookie goes through. This game is fast and physical at this level. It’s different from the college level, and it’s even different from training camp and the preseason as well.

Our coaching staff did a great job incorporating his skill set into our scheme. We carved out a role for him. He definitely was more than good enough to be the middle linebacker of our defense. We have a great position room with a lot of guys competing with each other.

We all made each other better, and Jack Campbell played a role in that. He just wants to get the job done at a high level, not just for himself, but for his teammates as well. That’s probably the coolest thing about him. He’s all about winning. That’s what I love about him.

JM: Looking at the room as a whole, what’s the next step for the Lions’ linebacker core as a unit?

Anzalone: I think we put a lot of people on notice this past season. In the past, there was a bit of stigma around the Detroit Lions not having a great linebacker group. I think we changed that one year at a time with me being there, and Derrick Barnes was there from my first season onward.

We continually made those leaps and gains as a group. We could talk about that on a national level now as one of the best linebacker corps in the NFL. We’re more than capable of being that.

It goes back to executing at a high level, but also making the splash plays when those opportunities arise. We need to make those game-changing plays as a group.

JM: It may be bittersweet, because I’m sure you would have been thrilled for him, but how great is it to have Aaron Glenn back as the defensive coordinator after he got some head coaching interest around the league?

Anzalone: This may be my last season playing for coach Glenn depending on where my career goes from here, and also where his career goes. AG [Aaron Glenn] is my guy. I’ve been with him every year of my career [dating back to New Orleans]. Having him as a mentor and as a coach has been great for me. He’s the ultimate leader.

He’s one of a kind. He’s one of the best leaders I’ve ever been around. That goes for Dan Campbell as well. Coach Glenn is smart. He’s one of the best teachers I’ve ever been around personally. That’s how I value coaches. How well do you teach? He’s among the best.

He’s great at that. He motivates me a bunch. His time [to be a head coach] is coming when the right situation arises. I’ll be excited for him. I pray that I’ll play for him again at some point. If not, I'm going to enjoy this last season with him.

JM: We love that. Offseason activities are important to team bonding. If you could golf with three of your teammates, who would you like to play with, and why?

Anzalone: I actually just did a charity golfing event in Tampa with Derrick Barnes. Derrick is a great guy. If you know him, he’s funny and he loves to play golf. He’s not the best golfer, but he loves playing nonetheless (laughs). He has all the gear, all the clubs. He’s learning (laughs).

I’d throw him in there because he’s my guy. I’m trying to think of who else I’d love to play with. Probably JaMo, Jameson Williams. It’d be funny to see him golf (laughs). The last one to join our foursome would be someone bad, someone funny to watch. For the record, I’m bad at golf too (laughs). Maybe I’d throw Amon-Ra St. Brown or Jalen Reeves-Maybin in there.

JM: We love that. We've appreciated your time today. What are your goals with training camp less than one month away?

Anzalone: We have a lot of time and practice reps to get better before our first regular-season game. That’s the most important thing. Coach Campbell always says there’s no light at the end of the tunnel once we get to training camp. We have to focus on getting better every day. We do that by creating competition with each other.

We’re going to push each other in smart ways. We have joint practices in New York versus the Giants as well. That’s when the team really starts coming together from a camaraderie standpoint. That’s when you start getting the true feel of a team.

I’m excited to get that feeling back at training camp.

JM: Campbell's recently launched the new Chunky Spicy Nashville-Style Hot Chicken Soup. It has 13 grams of protein and is seasoned with delicious spices to bring that authentic southern heat! What was your initial reaction to tasting the soup for the first time?

Anzalone: The first thing I look at is the ingredients label. I pay close attention to the nutrition and what it’s really made of. I was super impressed with the 13 grams of protein. I was like okay, I could have this right after a training session and get a great source of protein. You can drink a protein shake, but there’s nothing like getting protein from an actual food source.

It’s a healthy meal that I can get protein from, which isn’t typical in soup. I love that southern kick. I was in New Orleans for four seasons and that spice is something I’ve missed (laughs). It felt like a blast from my past even though it’s Nashville style.