“He Didn’t Learn the Game By Reading Books”: Lions Veteran Lauds HC Dan Campbell For Being a Player’s Coach

Sneha Singh | 20/11/2024
Houston, Texas, USA; Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell argues a call while playing against the Houston Texans in the second half at NRG Stadium.

The Lions have been on an incredible run this season, leaving a blaze of 9-1 in their wake. While it’s the collective work of the Jared Goff-led crew, head coach Dan Campbell certainly deserves some credit.

After taking a year to settle into his first HC job, Campbell has been crucial in Detroit’s turnaround in performance since 2022, and Golden Tate recognizes that. The former Detroit wide receiver expressed his admiration of the head coach and why he deserves some brownie points in the Lions’ spectacular run.

“I love Dan Campbell, man, a players coach,” said Tate during an appearance on Good Morning Football. “I mean, we always respect guys who’ve been there. Like, he didn’t learn the game by reading books and stuff.”

The former Super Bowl champion felt that it is Campbell’s experience as an ex-athlete that makes him more connected with his players. Tate shared how the coach is very intuitive of everyone’s needs which makes him “easy” to play for.

“Like, he played the game. And so he knows what my body’s feeling when I need a breaker, when it’s time to ramp it up, the mentality, when the right time to have this pep talk is. He just has a feel and he’s easy to play for.“

Tate also pointed out how he is the “biggest fan” of each and every part of the team, from the athletes to the practice boys. And finally, the coach’s clear goal this season is what makes the former WR stand behind him.

“He wants me to win and that’s going to help us win.”

While Tate hasn’t played under Campbell, his appreciation of him makes it obvious that he would’ve loved to. And his high opinion of the coach doesn’t seem unreasonable either if the recent celebratory speech is anything to go by!

Campbell gives a fiery speech after Jaguars win

After their magnificent 52-6 win over the Jaguars, a clip went viral that showed the Lions’ head coach roaring in the locker room. Campbell was celebrating his team’s play personifying the perfect hype man.

“Hey, that’s a hell of a job man,” started Campbell surrounded by his crew. “When you have talent talented football players and they are made of the right kind of stuff, and those guys come together, you have a collective willpower that you can make the game any way you want it to go… That’s exactly what you guys did.”

Campbell also acknowledged that while the team had a narrow win over the Texans last week, they still managed to clock in another win. He further went on to read out the stats of the offensive and defensive sides, lauding them for their achievements. Finally, he readied them for the road ahead, instilling confidence and energy in his athletes.

“Everything you got every single play give it your all. This team is special. I’m excited to keep going. So sky is the limit man… We’re about to hit the backstretch and we’re on to the Colts. All right, great win…on to the next one.”

The Lions will face the Colts on Sunday, Nov 24 at the Lucas Oil Stadium, and now knowing Dan Campbell’s mentorship, one can surely expect another exciting game.

Post Edited By: Sauvik Banerjee
Dan Campbell Detroit Lions Golden Tate

About the author

Sneha SIngh

Sneha Singh

Sneha Singh is an NFL journalist for The SportsRush. She is currently pursuing engineering, but her passion for writing and love for American football led her to join The SportsRush in 2024. With prior experience at various media outlets across genres, Sneha has been following the sport for the past three years. What started from coffee table banter with her friends arguing for their favorite teams, soon developed into a deep-rooted love for the sport. Before she knew it, Sneha was passionately following the offseason, tracking trades, draft prospects, and heartbreaking retirements. The two teams she holds closest to her heart are the Philadelphia Eagles and the San Francisco 49ers. The last two years have been quite eventful for Sneha, as both of her favorite teams made it to the Super Bowl in consecutive seasons. However, her first live game ended in heartbreak when the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Eagles on the grandest stage. The disappointment carried into the following year when the Chiefs beat the 49ers. Even Jason Kelce announced his retirement, which she wasn't thrilled about, but she appreciates that he's still connected to the league in various ways. When it comes to covering a story, it's not just the on-field action that excites Sneha but also the behind-the-scenes strategies, stories, and business dealings. She currently has over 400 articles to her name. Outside the NFL, Sneha finds solace in fiction. Whether it's books, films, anime, or video games, as long as there is a good story with creative expression, she's there for it. On the flip side, Sneha also likes to code and is an avid ML developer. What little time is left when she is not writing, consuming, or coding, Sneha likes to play the guitar.

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