Dan Campbell Envisioned 'City Going Crazy' After Super Bowl Win

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell envisioned Detroit hosting a championship celebration before he took the job.

The reaction to the Detroit Lions franchise as a whole is oftentimes polarizing. 

Despite multiple national media outlets proclaiming that the 2022 edition of the Lions have the potential of being a "sleeper" team, skeptics are quick to point out just how many times they have heard about potential, only to be disappointed when the regular season ends with a losing record. 

Head coach Dan Campbell has the task of keeping his team focused each day, while at the same time, shouldering the burden of a franchise that is known for losing. 

At his introductory media session, prior to the start of training camp this week, Campbell was asked how he balances the vastly different levels of expectations from pundits and NFL analysts. 

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Detroit's second-year head coach naturally focused on his team's mindset and demeanor, instead of outside opinions. 

"I told the team last night our identity and who we are, and our foundation, is all about grit," he said. "That’s physical, mental toughness, and that means taking it one day at a time. That means going a little longer and pushing a little harder, thinking a little deeper, a little sharper, those terms. So, I think when we think that way and we just worry about what’s in front of us, everything else will -- it will play itself out. So, I’m not worried about that.”

Speaking after practice with WJBK-TV following practice, Campbell noted just how exciting the prospect is of turning the fortunes around of a dormant franchise. 

“We can be the group that changes that, and doesn’t that drive you and motivate you?” Campbell said. “Man, to say we’re gonna be the first unit that comes out of this, we’re gonna stack a season, two seasons, three seasons. We’re the ones that did it, we did it in 2022, and we started in 2021.”

Prior to accepting the position as head coach, Campbell expressed how he is similar to former New Orleans head coach Sean Payton, in that they operate from the top-down in their efforts to craft a winning football team. 

“I can tell you, before I took this job, I envisioned us being downtown Detroit with the trophy and this city going crazy,” he said. “I just try to be me. I’ve got a lot of energy. I’m excited. I’m enthusiastic. I think that helps those guys. They kind of believe in me, I guess.”