ESPN: Dan Campbell of the Lions speaks out on the team’s historic victory over the Bears.
Dan Campbell was not yet prepared to rejoice in the past.
After Game 2 of the 2009 NBA Finals, ESPN’s Eric Woodyard on X reported that Dan Campbell had a mindset akin to Kobe Bryant’s following a 34-17 victory over the Chicago Bears to create franchise history for the Detroit Lions.
After the Lions’ historic victory over the Bears, Campbell remarked, “I was proud of your guys that bounced back.” “I anticipated that they would. After a toss loss, especially if you haven’t lost in a long time, it takes a unique set of men to recover emotionally, physically, and psychologically. I informed the lads that I was aware that 13 victories was a team and organization record that had never been reached.
We’ll be able to look back and appreciate it someday, but not just yet, I informed them. Now is not the moment. Next week, we have San Francisco to travel to, so we have our work cut out for us. Excellent team. As for today, however, we fulfilled our obligations. We converted the two giveaways into ten points. We were able to effectively manage the game by seeing them early. We played that game correctly, I believe. It was a nice job, then.
Campbell’s squad might have rolled over and had fans feel sorry for them after the Lions fell to the Buffalo Bills in Week 15 after a back-and-forth struggle. Most people wouldn’t mind this squad disintegrating given the amount of injuries the Lions have sustained. But that’s not how Campbell is wired to think.
Dan Campbell wants the Lions to win a record-breaking game and return to “Detroit football.”
According to Brad Galli on X, Campbell told reporters after the victory that he had two goals for his squad on Sunday and that all were achieved.
“Winning and seeing us play Detroit football were the two most important things to me,” Campbell stated. That was all. I made no further requirements. We know all the answers to the game now, but in essence, I just wanted to win this game and watch our identity develop. We’re back on our feet now that we accomplished that.
Setting the franchise record most victories in a season with all of this team’s tenacity is a testament to the Lions’ coaching prowess, even though they aren’t celebrating yet.
Even though Campbell’s first season in Detroit ended with a 3-13-1 record, he has done a fantastic job of transforming this squad into one of the NFC’s dominant teams.
It’s also Super Bowl or bust for the Lions in 2024, as offensive coordinator Ben Johnson may go following this season to take a head coaching position of his own.
