Every Detroit Lions fan knows the sinking feeling they experienced when the Lions went from what seemed like a solid victory to a painful, season-ending 34–31 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC conference championship game on January 28, 2024.
If anyone remembers that moment well, it’s Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell. That memory still haunts him.
“I knew that the minute that clock went to zero in San Francisco, that was going to be the challenge. I already knew that,” he said in an August 13 interview with Sports Illustrated. “As disappointed as you are, you’re already into next year. You’re in a black hole. The movie, everything’s flying by you. You’ve gone so fast into the future, and you already know it’s going to be hard. It’s going to be a lot harder. The challenge that comes with it is you believe you’re going to be better. You should be.”
Now, the time has come, and a new season is upon Campbell and the Detroit Lions.
Dan Campbell Discusses the Detroit Lions’ ‘Worst Enemy’
Moving forward, Campbell knows there’s one major enemy he has to face. It’s not Caleb Williams or Jordan Love.
“You know you’ll be your own worst enemy,” Campbell said. “If it doesn’t work, you’re the reason why.”
He added, “It starts with me and the coaches. I’ve made that point from day one once we got back from San Francisco that our enemy is complacency and entitlement. The players know that. We hit that head on. We talk about it. It’s all about putting the work back in. Our work speaks for itself, not our reputation, not anything else.”
Something that Campbell has been praised for over the past three years is his commitment to creating a positive culture in the Lions’ locker room. That’s not an easy task for a team known for being among the worst in the NFL for generations. But, Campbell has kept things positive, even during his 3-13-1 first season with the Lions. Today, of course, the Lions are in a much better position and considered major Super Bowl contenders.
Jared Goff on Dan Campbell’s Positive Culture
Lions quarterback Jared Goff says part of the team’s positive culture is thanks to Campbell’s ability to praise all players, not just the stars. One player Goff singled out in the interview was Kalif Raymond, who he says is a very versatile player and getting some well-deserved praise from the coaching staff, even if he isn’t a household name yet.
“Maybe St. Brown’s getting all the love,” Goff said in the same Sports Illustrated interview. “That doesn’t mean this guy is less important to our success. And making sure guys know that, Dan is as good as I’ve been around at doing that.”
Goff added, “Whether he’s doing it consciously or unconsciously, he’s great at making everyone know when they’re living up to the standard, when they’re not, and then if they’re not getting the external credit they deserve, making sure internally they know we all know that they deserve that.”
The Detroit Lions’ 2024 regular season begins on Sunday, September 8, at 8:20 p.m. Eastern time at Detroit’s Ford Field against the Los Angeles Rams.
