Throughout his revitalization of the Detroit Lions, Dan Campbell has featured both a persona and a figure that seems to quite literally be “larger than life.” Standing at 6 feet 5″ while weighing 265 pounds, the play caller’s size is just as remarkable as his 39-28 record with the Detroit Lions.
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The Texas product has seemingly managed to do the impossible by reviving the Super Bowl aspirations of a franchise that was once considered to be the laughing stock of the NFL. However, his All-Pro defender, Kerby Joseph, found out just how big of a deal Campbell really is during one of his first summertime practices with the team.
During a recent appearance on The Rich Eisen Show, the three-year NFL veteran hilariously recalled the time in which Campbell managed to block out the sun.
“We’re out there in practice… It’s so bright outside, sunny day, it’s like 80 degrees outside… Detroit looking like Florida… I’m in the stretching line, we’re doing lunges, and all of a sudden it just gets dark. I look up, I don’t see the sun no more, I see Dan Campbell… He turned the whole little area out there to shade. Matter of fact, you can stay right there, cause it feels good,” he said.
Seeing Joseph has yet to experience a losing season with Campbell and the Lions since first signing with the team in 2022, it’s safe to say that he has all of the confidence in the world in his head coach.
For all the mass and testosterone that Campbell brings to the sideline, the former third-round draft pick certainly knows how to get the most out of his players. Having earned a reputation for being one of the best motivators in the league today, the Florida native couldn’t help but to credit Campbell for his ability to get the most out of his players.
When asked about Campbell’s famous pre-game speeches, Joseph, one of the NFC North’s premier pass defenders, admitted to regularly being moved by Campbell’s words.
“His speeches give me chills, bro… You can tell he’s passionate about the game, passionate about us. It’s like, man, I’m willing to do it all for you coach.”
Both Joseph and the rest of Detroit’s roster have blossomed under the mentorship of Campbell, giving the newfound success of the franchise a hint of legitimacy. While they have yet to do the impossible in ending the team’s 96-year championship drought, they are seemingly closer than ever to doing so.
Their 45-31 loss to the Washington Commanders in the divisional round may have broken the heart of the Motor City, but if there’s anyone who can mend it, it’s likely to be Campbell. Despite the fact that the team managed to waste the first overall seed in the playoffs, both the Lions and its fanbase continue to put their trust in Campbell.
Considering that he’s now produced the first and only 12 and 15-win regular season records in franchise history, he’ll likely hold onto that trust for the foreseeable future. Given the otherwise destitute history of the team, that’s likely for the better.
