Dan Campbell

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell isn't overly concerned about running back Jahmyr Gibbs accidentally leaking the team's code words for drop-back protections.

"I don't really give a crap," Campbell said during a Monday radio appearance on WXYT-FM (h/t Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press). "If we're going to lose because of code words then we're not good enough anyway. So I think we'll just post the whole fricking playbook out there and every code word we've got. And it doesn't matter. It's not going to hurt us, it won't affect us and it's all good."

Gibbs posted a video of teammate Jermar Jefferson to his Instagram story, with Jefferson standing in front of a board that contained Detroit's protection calls.

Campbell initially wasn't aware of the incident until it was brought up at a press conference on Saturday.

"I need to check on that," Campbell said at the time, per Birkett. "Did not know that. Yeah, I'd rather our stuff not be out there."

On Monday, he didn't appear to be upset about the post.

"We're fine," Campbell said. "As a matter of fact I joked at him about it yesterday, I messed with him, so it's good. I'm not even worried about it."

The Lions are in the midst of another strong year after making an appearance in the NFC Championship Game last season, owning the No. 1 spot in the conference at 11-1. The record also represents the best start to a season for Detroit in franchise history.

Gibbs has played a key role in the Lions' success, as he's formed one of the NFL's most imposing running back tandems alongside David Montgomery.

After rushing for 945 yards as a rookie in 2023, Gibbs has already picked up 973 yards on the ground in his second season. He's also caught 28 passes for 282 yards, finding the end zone on 11 occasions.

As the Lions look to close out the regular season and maintain their status atop the NFC standings, it doesn't appear Gibbs will face any discipline for his social media mistake.

The Detroit Lions are celebrating a lot of touchdowns this season.

And their head coach is fine with that, as long as those celebrations don't cost the team with penalty flags.

"I tell our guys, 'Hey, as long as you don't cost us 15,'" Dan Campbell told reporters Tuesday. "I'm good with whatever they do. So they have fun with it, they are creative, they like to push the boundaries of whatever those are. I know our guys have fun with it and I think that's important. They enjoy it, so it's all good."

The comments come after wide receiver Jameson Williams was fined for an obscene gesture he made while celebrating a touchdown. Running back Jahmyr Gibbs was also given a 15-yard penalty for taunting after his touchdown in Sunday's win over the Indianapolis Colts.

Jake Bates still made the ensuing extra point that put Detroit up 21-6 in the third quarter, so the flag ended up not being that costly. Still, it isn't difficult to envision a scenario where such a penalty would be problematic later in the season in a clutch playoff game.

For now, the Lions are blowing teams out during a nine-game winning streak.

They have more wins of at least 38 points (three) than single-digit victories (two) in the last eight, so individual penalties haven't been that much of a concern in terms of wins and losses.

But Campbell is keeping his team on its toes before the games become more important down the stretch and into the playoffs. And as long as the Lions continue to play like they have, there will be plenty of more touchdowns to celebrate in ways that won't lead to flags.

Being an elite tactician may not be enough for a coordinator to land a head coaching gig in the NFL once the offseason kicks into gear.

The Athletic's Dianna Russini reported at the 6:20 mark in the newest episode of her Scoop City podcast that "there's now the trend of culture builders again" when it comes to the candidates teams are going to consider. She contrasted that with past hiring cycles, when "the hot play-callers, the guys that can get the most out of the young quarterbacks" were being targeted.

Russini cited Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell, Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin and Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris as examples of the culture-building archetype.

Campbell in particular might be the kind of coach in mind for teams that are less enamored with hiring somebody based on scheme or play-calling.

Campbell received plenty of mockery when he said in his introductory press conference that he wanted the Lions to have a mindset where they'd "bite a kneecap off" of opposing players.

But the 48-year-old clearly struck the right tone with the locker room because Lions have become a genuine Super Bowl contender in the NFC. He also took an organizational culture that had turned rancid under his predecessor and made it a strength.

The Lions are proof positive you can win without a strategic guru as the head coach if he assembles the right staff. Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn have both received a ton of praise for their individual contributions.

That's a blueprint teams could look to emulate this offseason.

Russini's report is also interesting as it relates to the Lions because Johnson has earned a reputation as a very good offensive play-caller. Detroit is sixth in total offense (366.9 yards per game) and second in scoring (31.6 points per game).

Johnson was a sought-after candidate in last year's coaching carousel until he decided to stick around in Detroit.

If NFL owners and general managers are approaching this year's hiring cycle with a different view, perhaps his market proves to be a little cooler than you'd expect.

There is reportedly some belief within the NFL that Oregon head football coach Dan Lanning has what it takes to make the leap to the professional ranks if he chooses to do so in the future.

According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, a league executive brought up Lanning's name as a college coach capable of succeeding in the NFL, expressing their belief that Lanning has "got some [Detroit Lions head coach] Dan Campbell to him."

Lanning finds himself in a great situation in Oregon right now, however, as his Ducks are the No. 1-ranked team in the nation with a perfect 10-0 record.

After a successful stint at Georgia from 2018 to 2021 as a linebackers coach and then defensive coordinator, Oregon hired Lanning as its new head coach in 2022, replacing Mario Cristobal.

Lanning delivered instant results, leading the Ducks to a 10-3 record in 2022, followed by a 12-2 mark in 2023, punctuated by a Fiesta Bowl victory over Liberty.

Despite losing some key players to the 2024 NFL draft, including quarterback Bo Nix, wide receiver Troy Franklin, guard Jackson Powers-Johnson, running back Bucky Irving and a host of defensive players, Lanning's squad hasn't missed a beat this season.

In addition to quarterback Dillon Gabriel being a Heisman Trophy candidate in his first season at Oregon by virtue of throwing for 2,848 yards, 22 touchdowns and five interceptions, and rushing for another six scores, Lanning has the defense dominating to the tune of 16 points allowed per game.

Perhaps most impressively, the Ducks are doing all of this in their first season in the Big Ten, which is considered a fairly sizable step up from what the Pac-12 had been in recent years.

Oregon has wins over No. 2 Ohio State and No. 13 Boise State to its credit, leaving little doubt that Lanning's team is the one to beat.

To the anonymous NFL exec's point that Lanning compares favorably to Campbell, it is easy to see the similarities between them.

They both have an ability to captivate and motivate when they speak, and they each have shown an ability to quickly change the culture as well.

When Campbell took over as head coach of the Lions, they were a perennial losing team with little hope of turning things around, but Campbell did the unthinkable.

After going 3-13-1 in his first season at the helm, Campbell helped the Lions improve to 9-8 in 2022 before going 12-5, winning the NFC North and reaching the NFC Championship Game in 2023.

Now, the Lions are the top team in the NFC this season at 8-1, and they are considered leading Super Bowl contenders.

Oregon was not as downtrodden as the Lions when Lanning took over, but they hadn't reached the College Football Playoff since the inaugural edition in 2014.

Now, the Ducks are a virtual slam dunk to reach the CFP this season, and they are lining up to be the No. 1 seed and the odds-on favorites to win it all.

Given how well things are going right now at Oregon, going to the NFL may not yet be on Lanning's radar, but there seems to be a belief within the league that he is capable of translating his success to that level unlike recent college-to-NFL failures such as Urban Meyer and Matt Rhule.

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell is confident in his squad.

While Campbell was hesitant to call the Lions the best team in the league, he still believed that they're capable of beating any opponent in the NFL.

"It's hard to say," Campbell said, per Nolan Bianchi of The Detroit News. "Certainly, I feel like we can beat anybody in the league. That's what it's about."

The Lions improved to 7-1 following a 24-14 win over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.

Campbell's team also owns the best record in the NFC, as Detroit appears poised to make the playoffs in consecutive years for the first time since 1995.

The Lions have been especially dominant as of late, outscoring their opponents 154-66 over the past four weeks.

Detroit was nearly on the verge of its first Super Bowl appearance in franchise history last season, narrowly falling to the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game by the final score of 34-31.

With San Francisco sitting at 4-4 through eight contests, the team that handed the Lions their last playoff loss might not make the postseason.

Similar to 2023, Detroit has been led by a two-headed monster in the backfield as well as a stellar defense. David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs have continued to establish themselves as one of the best running back duos in the NFL, combining for 1,144 yards on the ground and 326 yards through the air. They've scored seven touchdowns each.

Detroit also owns the league's sixth-ranked scoring defense. While star pass-rusher Aidan Hutchinson is expected to miss the remainder of the regular season, the Lions have still gone 3-0 since he suffered a fractured left tibia and fibula against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 6.

Campbell's group will attempt to maintain its status at the top of the conference and move to 8-1 against the Houston Texans on Sunday.

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell hinted on Monday that the Detroit Lions could have a trade in the works ahead of the NFL trade deadline on Tuesday, Nov. 5.

A move for a defensive end, in particular, would make sense for the Lions after superstar Aidan Hutchinson broke his leg, an injury that likely will keep him out of action for the duration of the 2024 season.

The team is also without Marcus Davenport with a season-ending torn triceps and linebacker Derrick Barnes with a knee injury that could end his season. Josh Paschal also missed Sunday's win over the Tennessee Titans for medical reasons.

That has left the Lions with players like Paschal, James Houston and Al-Quadin Muhammad off the edge, hardly a who's who of pash-rushers.

But Campbell has said in the past that the Lions don't feel like they have to make a trade for the sake of making a trade.

"I don't feel like we're pressured to, 'Oh man, everybody's moving, we've got to move,'" he told reporters last week. "I don't feel that."

He also said the Lions don't necessarily need to add a star at the position.

"I think if anything you're looking for really a role player," Campbell said two weeks ago during a weekly radio appearance on WXYT-FM (97.1). "Somebody I think that can set an edge, that can transition into rush. It doesn't have to be somebody—I mean, look, as you guys know, the elite rushers and edge setters and all that don't just fall off trees, or if they do then you're going to have to sell the farm to get them. But I do think there could be some guys out there, man, that'll fit into what we're doing defensively."

The Lions, currently 6-1 on the season and looking like the top contender in the NFC, have 20 sacks on the season, currently tied for 12th in the NFL. But 7.5 of them came from Hutchinson across the five games he played, so his loss severely depleted Detroit's pass rush.

There's no replacing his impact, but given the spate of injuries the team has had in the front seven, adding a reinforcement would make sense for a team with Super Bowl aspirations.

Aidan Hutchinson's 2024 season is over after suffering a broken tibia and fibula in Sunday's 47-9 win over the Dallas Cowboys, but head coach Dan Campbell isn't doubting his ability to eventually return as good as ever.

"Let me say this: Look, it's four to six months [for recovery]. I would never count Hutch out. Ever," he told reporters Monday. "So, probably a long road, but I would never count him out. I would say if anybody can make it back, it'd be him."

Officially, the Lions said there was "no timetable" for Hutchinson's return after undergoing surgery on Sunday, though Campbell's comments left open the possibility that the star defensive end could perhaps return if Detroit makes a deep playoff run, though that is probably the longest of long shots.

It's a huge loss for Detroit. The 24-year-old edge-rusher was putting together a potential Defensive Player of Year season, registering an NFL-leading 7.5 sacks, 19 tackles (seven for loss), 17 quarterback hits and a forced fumble through parts of five games.

There is no replacing the 2023 Pro Bowler for the Lions, who now has 28.5 sacks through 39 career games, though the team could perhaps seek alternatives ahead of the NFL trade deadline on Tuesday, Nov. 5 .

"Obviously, it's tough, man," Lions defensive tackle DJ Reader told reporters regarding Hutchinson. "That's our guy. He's our guy through and through. So, it's tough. It sucks."

"When you see a man like that coming in each and every day, willing and wanting to be great, and we all know injuries come with this game, but still, like, all that hard work is just—that's why I'm sad the most," right tackle Penei Sewell added. "Just because I know what kind of player he is and I know how much work he puts in and what sacrifices he makes."

In Hutchinson's absence—and with Marcus Davenport already likely out for the season with a torn triceps—the Lions will turn to Levi Onwuzurike, Levi, Isaac Ukwu and Josh Paschal on the edge. That trio has combined for 1.5 sacks this season, all from Onwuzurike.

Hutchinson, by himself, had contributed more sacks this season than all of his teammates combined. That leaves the Lions with major questions marks regarding the pass rush.

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell and his family were forced to move from their Bloomfield Township home over security concerns, and police reports revealed part of the cause.

Per Robert Snell of the Detroit News, following the Lions' loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game on Jan. 28, someone posted Campbell's home address on Snapchat and called the coach a "dumb f--k." The post was shared by one of Campbell's daughter's male classmates.

Snell noted that the police report revealed that after the NFC Championship loss, in which Detroit blew a 17-point lead, people started showing up at Campbell's home around 11:08 p.m. and "scared daughter who left for the night." Campbell and his wife, Holly, were still at the game and advised their daughter to leave the house.

"The Campbells were nervous for the safety of their daughter and instructed her to leave the home with her boyfriend for the evening," the report stated. "I assured the Campbells that we would send a patrol unit to the home and extra-patrol it for the evening."

A township police official remained at the residence until 1:30 a.m. but saw "nothing suspicious."

The classmate, who is a year younger than Campbell's daughter, was questioned by investigators.

"(The classmate) found humor in the post ... (and) said he copied the address and posted his own story where he took a picture of the floor and used the address he had seen earlier," the report stated.

The classmate and his friends drove to Birmingham and passed by Campbell's home. The investigator wrote that the classmate "stated that they were yelling not nice things toward the house before they drove off."

Investigators also questioned the classmate's mother, Leslie.

"Leslie stated that she was aware of the situation and that Mrs. Campbell had already contacted her and left her a message about (the classmate's) post," the report said. "Leslie stated (her son) 're-posted, the post was only up for 3 minutes, he had 30 views on the post, believed it was a fake address, and quickly removed it after he thought about it.'"

Leslie contacted Holly Campbell to apologize and clarify that her son meant no harm, but she deflected blame while speaking to investigators.

"Leslie told me that the Campbell's address is publicly out there online and that her son did not contribute to anyone showing up," the report stated.

The Campbells have sincemoved to a home purchased by a limited liability company, according to public records. Snell noted that there have been no police calls to the family's new residence. Campbell declined to address the situation while speaking to reporters last week.

"No disrespect, man, I don't even want to go there with any of it," Campbell said Friday. "It's all good. Man, I've got a job to do. My primary job here is to coach this team and have them prepared every week. I've got to do my job, and that's the sole focus."

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell is selling his house after his home address was reportedly leaked following a loss to the Dallas Cowboys last season.

The house in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, is listed as a pending sale for $4.5 million, per Nick Manes of Crain's Detroit Business (h/t ESPN).

Campbell told Manes that he sold the house because "people figured out where we lived when we lost."

Campbell's address was leaked following Week 17 of the 2023 season, when the Lions lost 20-19 to the Cowboys on Dec. 30, Jessica Dupnack reported for Fox 2 Detroit.

After the initial leak of the address, contractors were sent to Campbell's house for unneeded repairs "as a prank," Dupnack reported.

Another incident occurred at the address following the Lions' loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game, per Dupnack, and the Campbell family filed police reports.

The Bloomfield Township Police Department said in a statement shared by Dupnack that the police are "committed to the safety of all of our residents."

Campbell's home was previously owned by Hockey Hall of Famer and Detroit Red Wings alum Igor Larionov, per ESPN.

The 7,800-square-foot house, which Campbell described as "beautiful," sold within 24 hours, per Manes. Ashley Crain, the Crain's founder and CEO who sold the home, told Manes the buyers were "huge" fans of the Lions.

Crain also told Dupnack the company had found a new home for Campbell and his family, into which they have already moved.

"I feel happy for them that they can have that privacy," Crain said, per Dupnack. "And I would hope all the fans out there love him enough and they give him that privacy, and their family too."

Campbell is in his fourth season with the Lions. After marking a 3-13-1 record in his first year as head coach, Campbell led Detroit to a 12-5 record, a division title and the NFC Championship appearance last year.

He and his wife, Holly Campbell, have two children.

The Lions coach is not the only member of the NFL to recently discuss facing harassment following on-field disappointments. Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis told reporters on Thursday that his phone number was leaked to angry fans after his team's 0-2 season start.