Calvin Johnson Loves Dan Campbell's 'Authenticity'

Calvin Johnson is big fan of Campbell's authentic approach with players.

Nov 17, 2024; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell, left, hugs Calvin Johnson before the game between Detroit Lions and Jacksonville Jaguars at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. Mandatory Credit: Junfu Han/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images / Junfu Han/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

Dan Campbell is one of the most well-respected head coaches in the NFL today, among both current and former players. And perhaps the biggest reason why is that Campbell is consistently his authentic self. 

You’ll never catch the fourth-year head coach being fake or sugarcoating things to his players in an ill-advised attempt to gain favor. Campbell is the polar opposite of all that, with a much more direct and relatable approach with his team. 

Just ask Detroit Lions legend Calvin Johnson, who had the chance to play with the Lions head man and now gets the opportunity to watch him lead the organization from the sideline. 

“You’ve gotta love him, man. He’s authentic. That’s just Dan being his authentic self and just staying true to himself,” Johnson said on “The Rich Eisen Show” in response to Campbell saying “he’d have to drink the game” during the Lions’ week off to start the playoffs. “I mean, you can read authenticity, you can read when someone is being fake, and we don’t get anything fake from Dan. That’s why his players respond the way they do, because he’s just his authentic self to them. He doesn’t treat anybody different than the other. He treats them all the same, expects all of them to be great, to bring their best potential to the practice and the game. That’s all you can ask for in a coach, that he’s the same level-headed person and he’s the same with everybody.”

Johnson did suit up with Campbell in Detroit for two seasons, including during the organization’s infamous 0-16 campaign in 2008. Just like he is as a head coach, Campbell, as a player, was always well-prepared.  

“Dan Campbell was almost like Robocop when he was out there, because he did something to his shoulder, and had this big ‘ole sleeve that he played with. And, the fact is he was still our best tight end, and he never complained. He just went out there and got his job done,” Johnson said of Campbell during their time together with the Lions. “You’d never hear the coaches say anything to him because he was prepared. And, that’s why I’m so happy about him being here in Detroit, because I know he’s going to have these guys prepared because he was always prepared to play. Like I said, he doesn’t b.s. He’s straight to the point, it’s black and white. Get the job done. 

“He’s going to love on you, too, now. He’s got a sense of humor. He’s a family man. All those things together just make a great coach.” 

Just like many fans and pundits, Johnson has fallen in love with the Lions’ relentless approach to each game. It’s become popularly termed as “grittiness,” an attribute which helped Detroit record a franchise-best 15-2 record during the 2024 regular season.  

“It all goes back to the grittiness, which this team started. I think that’s what our fans respect the most about it. That’s why this place is so loud,” Johnson expressed. “It’s because we have so many guys that are willing to sacrifice, that are willing to bust their butt, that are willing to go out there even if they’re not feeling their best and lay it on the line. We’re able to see that each and every day from this team. You have guys that are in the community that are trying to help their fellow brethren. You see guys that come from other teams that come here and get thrown into the lineup and are ready to play. But, a lot of that just goes back to the fundamentals and the coaching and the situations that they put themselves in practice. So, it all boils back down to the grit that we have here in Detroit. We want to work. You come here, you’ve gotta want to work.”