Detroit head coach Dan Campbell unrecognizable from his long-haired playing days as no-nonsense Lion
Dan Campbell has single-handedly rejuvenated an entire NFL franchise. The Detroit Lions are the most success-starved organisation in the NFL, famously never making a Super Bowl, but under Campbell their fortunes have well and truly changed. The Lions are a force to be reckoned with under Campbell’s leadershipGetty The Lions return to the playoff fold this weekend for a divisional round clash with the Washington Commanders. Detroit earned a bye in the first round of the playoffs, as well as home field advantage throughout the postseason, after securing the NFC’s No. 1 seed with a 15-2 record in the regular season. It comes after a solid season in 2023, where the team from Michigan clinched their first division title in 31 years and narrowly lost the NFC Championship game to the San Francisco 49ers. All of this is a far cry from the Lions’ infamous 2008 season – widely regarded as one of the worst seasons in NFL history. Although injured for most of that season, Dan Campbell was part of the Lions team who finished 0-16 and became only the second team since the AFL–NFL merger to finish a full-length season winless. Back then, ‘Motor City Dan Campbell was a long-haired tight end and was instantly recognizable for his luscious brown locks. These days, the straight-shooting head coach rocks a no-nonsense style cut, but still sports that same iconic goatee. The ex TE was released by the Lions in 2009 and went on to win Super Bowl XLIV with the New Orleans Saints. However, he spent the entire season on injured reserve with an MCL injury and did not receive a Super Bowl ring by the team. Injuries ultimately cut his career short and he began his coaching career with the Miami Dolphins as an intern in 2010. Campbell was drafted in the third round of the 1999 NFL Draft by the New York GiantsGetty He was a tight end who played for the Giants, Cowboys, Lions and Saints before retiring after the 2009 seasonGetty The 48-year-old slowly worked his way up the ranks and became interim head coach in 2015 before joining the Saints as an assistant head coach a year later. He joined the Lions in 2021 and has slowly rebuilt the team following a 3–13–1 record in his first season and a 9–8 record in his second year. In his third year, ‘MCDC’ guided Detroit to a 12-win season, their first 10+ win season since 2014. His team also won their first division title since 1993 when they won the now-defunct NFC Central (now the NFC North). They were the No. 3 seed for the NFC playoffs, and in their first playoff game at Ford Field, defeated former quarterback Matthew Stafford and current quarterback Jared Goff‘s former team, the Los Angeles Rams, 24–23. His long hair is a far cry from the shorter style he rocks todayGetty His career was cut short after suffering a number of injuriesGetty It was the Lions’ first playoff victory since the 1991 season, ending the longest winless post-season drought in the NFL. They backed that up with a win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Divisional Round before advancing to the NFC Championship for the first time since the 1991 season. However, the missed out on a Super Bowl berth after blowing a 24-7 lead to the Niners, losing the NFC title game, 34-31. Campbell’s gritty squad has continued its ascendancy this season, winning their second consecutive division title and clinching the No. 1 seed in the NFC for the first time in franchise history. The Lions’ possessed one of the most potent offenses in the NFL this season behind the likes of Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery, aka ‘Sonic and Knuckles’. The team scored 564 total points, the most in the NFL and the fourth most ever in a regular season. ‘MCDC’ looks completely different to his playing daysGetty Daniels stands in the Lions’ way of a return to the NFC Championship gameGetty The Lions are one of the favorites to reach the Super Bowl in New Orleans in February, but Campbell isn’t look past the Commanders this weekend. Washington has a number of weapons to hurt Campbell’s team with, most notably rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, who has been a revelation this season in his first full campaign as a pro. “He is dangerous,” Campbell said of Daniels this week. “He poses a major threat. He does not play the position like a rookie quarterback. He’s composed, he understands how to progress, he sees the field well, he can buy time with his legs, he’s a dangerous runner.” “[Mobile quarterbacks are not] easy to stop, and there’s a reason for that. Look, we know we got our hands full. But we’re gonna have a plan in place. … And you know what? [Daniels] may make a run. He may pop a run or two. You know? That’s just the nature of the game and the way that some of these guys are able to maneuver. But that doesn’t mean that you win the game.”
Dan Campbell has single-handedly rejuvenated an entire NFL franchise.
The Detroit Lions are the most success-starved organisation in the NFL, famously never making a Super Bowl, but under Campbell their fortunes have well and truly changed.
The Lions return to the playoff fold this weekend for a divisional round clash with the Washington Commanders.
Detroit earned a bye in the first round of the playoffs, as well as home field advantage throughout the postseason, after securing the NFC’s No. 1 seed with a 15-2 record in the regular season.
It comes after a solid season in 2023, where the team from Michigan clinched their first division title in 31 years and narrowly lost the NFC Championship game to the San Francisco 49ers.
All of this is a far cry from the Lions’ infamous 2008 season – widely regarded as one of the worst seasons in NFL history.
Although injured for most of that season, Dan Campbell was part of the Lions team who finished 0-16 and became only the second team since the AFL–NFL merger to finish a full-length season winless.
Back then, ‘Motor City Dan Campbell was a long-haired tight end and was instantly recognizable for his luscious brown locks.
These days, the straight-shooting head coach rocks a no-nonsense style cut, but still sports that same iconic goatee.
The ex TE was released by the Lions in 2009 and went on to win Super Bowl XLIV with the New Orleans Saints.
However, he spent the entire season on injured reserve with an MCL injury and did not receive a Super Bowl ring by the team.
Injuries ultimately cut his career short and he began his coaching career with the Miami Dolphins as an intern in 2010.
The 48-year-old slowly worked his way up the ranks and became interim head coach in 2015 before joining the Saints as an assistant head coach a year later.
He joined the Lions in 2021 and has slowly rebuilt the team following a 3–13–1 record in his first season and a 9–8 record in his second year.
In his third year, ‘MCDC’ guided Detroit to a 12-win season, their first 10+ win season since 2014.
His team also won their first division title since 1993 when they won the now-defunct NFC Central (now the NFC North).
They were the No. 3 seed for the NFC playoffs, and in their first playoff game at Ford Field, defeated former quarterback Matthew Stafford and current quarterback Jared Goff‘s former team, the Los Angeles Rams, 24–23.
It was the Lions’ first playoff victory since the 1991 season, ending the longest winless post-season drought in the NFL.
They backed that up with a win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Divisional Round before advancing to the NFC Championship for the first time since the 1991 season.
However, the missed out on a Super Bowl berth after blowing a 24-7 lead to the Niners, losing the NFC title game, 34-31.
Campbell’s gritty squad has continued its ascendancy this season, winning their second consecutive division title and clinching the No. 1 seed in the NFC for the first time in franchise history.
The Lions’ possessed one of the most potent offenses in the NFL this season behind the likes of Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery, aka ‘Sonic and Knuckles’.
The team scored 564 total points, the most in the NFL and the fourth most ever in a regular season.
The Lions are one of the favorites to reach the Super Bowl in New Orleans in February, but Campbell isn’t look past the Commanders this weekend.
Washington has a number of weapons to hurt Campbell’s team with, most notably rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, who has been a revelation this season in his first full campaign as a pro.
“He is dangerous,” Campbell said of Daniels this week.
“He poses a major threat. He does not play the position like a rookie quarterback. He’s composed, he understands how to progress, he sees the field well, he can buy time with his legs, he’s a dangerous runner.”
“[Mobile quarterbacks are not] easy to stop, and there’s a reason for that. Look, we know we got our hands full. But we’re gonna have a plan in place. … And you know what? [Daniels] may make a run. He may pop a run or two. You know? That’s just the nature of the game and the way that some of these guys are able to maneuver. But that doesn’t mean that you win the game.”
