Dan Campbell’s most memorable quotes as Lions coach: “Bite a kneecap off”

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell is often a lock to supply a memorable soundbite each time he is close to a microphone. That was no completely different proper earlier than kickoff at Lambeau Subject forward of the ultimate sport of the 2022 common season.

The Lions had already been eradicated from playoff competition earlier than taking part in the Inexperienced Bay Packers in Week 18 a season in the past. Inexperienced Bay nonetheless had a postseason spot in its sights. However it would not for lengthy. Campbell, in an NBC interview on the sector moments earlier than the sport began, had a transparent message for followers at house.

“We do not need them to go [to the playoffs],” Campbell mentioned. “That is our motivation.”

Campbell and the Lions upset the Packers, 20-16, eliminating them from the playoffs in what turned out to be Aaron Rodgers’ last sport with Inexperienced Bay.

Detroit’s newest take a look at this season comes, as soon as once more, at Lambeau in opposition to the Packers in Week 4’s Thursday Evening Soccer matchup. The sport between the 2-1 NFC North rivals kicks off at 8:15 p.m. ET. Earlier than the groups take the sector, this is a take a look at a few of the most memorable moments from Detroit’s caffeine-fueled coach—from biting kneecaps to rest room paper classes.

Campbell’s Kneecap Speech

Campbell’s introductory press convention supplied an early take a look at his character.

The Lions had gained simply 14 video games mixed within the three seasons previous to Campbell taking on as head coach. Detroit hadn’t made the playoffs since 2017. Campbell knew the problem forward of him when he took the job. And in his first look representing the Lions, he laid out what the franchise was going to do to alter its public notion.

“We’re gonna kick you within the enamel, and while you punch us again, we’re gonna smile at you, and while you knock us down, we’ll stand up, and on the way in which, we’ll chew a kneecap off,” Campbell mentioned in 2021.

“We’ll arise, and it will take two extra photographs to knock us down. And on the way in which up, we’ll take your different kneecap, and we’ll stand up, and it is gonna take three photographs to get us down. And once we do, we’re gonna take one other hunk out of you.”

Campbell’s strategy appears to have caught on.

The Lions completed 9-8 final season regardless of a 1-6 begin. And the successful methods have continued in yr No. 3 beneath Campbell in Detroit. The Lions entered the 2023 season as NFC North favorites. They backed that up with a win over the defending-champion Kansas Metropolis Chiefs in Week 1 and are 2-1 via three weeks.

Fortunately, no kneecaps had been harmed alongside the way in which (that we all know of).

Treating Lions Gamers Like Males

Lions gamers beneath Campbell clearly maintain themselves accountable. The 47-year-old former tight finish mentioned as a lot throughout his first season in Detroit. Although he was a bit extra colourful in his description.

“I instructed them, truthfully, Day 1, I mentioned, ‘Look, I am not carrying your rest room paper round. I am not gonna wipe your butt,” Campbell mentioned, through columnist Michael Silver. “You are gonna wipe your personal butt. You deal with it and I will deal with you want males till you show in any other case.”

An Unimaginable Espresso Order

Any Starbucks worker who has taken Campbell’s order will certainly always remember it.

Campbell loves his espresso, largely the caffeine half. Regularly, the coach will enter the Lions’ facility within the morning with two massive coffees containing a number of espresso photographs. Campbell described the routine in 2021 because the reporters in attendance sat in disbelief.

“That is what I are available in with,” Campbell mentioned of his order, amid laughter. “That is how I begin the day.”

Lions Had ‘No Turds’ in Yr 1

The Lions went 3-13-1 in 2021, Campbell’s first yr on the job.

Going into the season, Detroit was proper in the midst of a roster overhaul, and Campbell was nonetheless establishing his tradition and angle within the group. However he usually defended his staff. And he did so in a really on-brand method.

“I mentioned this after I walked in,” Campbell mentioned in 2021, through USA In the present day. “There was quite a few guys that had been right here and I believe [the former regime] did an amazing job. There is not any turds right here. There is not any unhealthy guys. Like these guys work now. We do not have guys, ‘Ah, I am lazy.’ We do not actually have these guys, and that is a superb factor. That is not at all times the case while you stroll in and it hasn’t been a profitable program.”

Campbell Stunned by Lions Play Name

Even somebody as intense as Campbell can have their thoughts drift off for a second. That was evident within the Lions’ 34-23 win over the Minnesota Vikings final season.

Campbell mentioned on The Pat McAfee Present final yr that he was distracted watching Lions followers do the wave late within the sport. And he was so targeted that he did not hear precisely what offensive coordinator Ben Johnson requested him concerning a third-down play name. Campbell simply responded, “Yeah, that is high-quality.” It seems, Johnson requested about calling a play through which 6-foot-5, 335-pound offensive sort out Penei Sewell could be the supposed receiver.

“I lookup and we’re throwing to Penei and I used to be like, ‘what the f*** are we doing?” Campbell mentioned to McAfee. Sewell caught the move, the Lions gained, and as Campbell would go on to say, “It labored out nice.”