Lions players share their most memorable stories about Dan Campbell’s leadership

Through the first half of the year, however, Detroit’s offense hadn’t matched that previous level of production. In the 27-24 loss to Minnesota, the Lions gained only 305 yards — well below the 402.2-yard average they held from 2023 through 2024. It was also the third consecutive game in which Detroit’s offense failed to put up at least 30 points.

Campbell realized that the moment had come to shake things up.

During his Nov. 3 meeting with Morton, he spoke candidly with the rookie offensive coordinator about what needed to shift if Detroit was going to stay on track for the postseason. Campbell explained that he would be taking over the playcalling duties for the time being. After that conversation, he met with quarterback Jared Goff to let him know about the adjustment and to inject new energy into the offense.

Morton didn’t push back.
“As soon as he told me, I was like, ‘All right, let’s roll. What’s next?’ That’s how I’ve always handled this business,” Morton said. “I’ve been released six times, I’ve been fired before. You keep moving because the team is what matters. It’s never about personal goals. The objective is winning a Super Bowl. So I didn’t hesitate. I know my role, and the only difference now is that he’s calling the plays on Sundays. Everything else stays the same.”

A week later, Campbell stood on the sideline with his glasses on and a play sheet in hand, orchestrating a breakout performance in which Detroit piled up a season-best 226 rushing yards and 546 total yards in a commanding 44-22 win over Washington.

“Look, I just feel like this is what needs to be done right now, so I’m doing it,” Campbell said the following Monday about assuming playcalling duties. “Am I flawless? No, absolutely not.”

“Sometimes the players have to rescue me,” Campbell admitted. “They did it a few times yesterday. Jared Goff stepped in. The staff stepped in. That’s how a team functions.”

The way Campbell navigated this week’s offensive transition offered yet another glimpse into the type of leader he is, according to those who’ve worked alongside him. He is fiercely competitive, direct to the point of bluntness, willing to tackle uncomfortable conversations, and open enough to show vulnerability when it’s needed. He stands behind his roster and his staff with steady confidence, listens closely to what the team needs, and brings an infectious energy everywhere he goes.

Those qualities have helped elevate him into one of the league’s most respected head coaches and earned him the trust of a group intent on reaching the franchise’s first Super Bowl. That pursuit continues with an upcoming road game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday night.

“He believes in us, and we believe in him. And honestly, when a guy that big and strong makes a choice, there’s a good chance it’s the right one,” guard Graham Glasgow joked before turning serious. “But really, he just understands football. He has a great feel for what we need. He’s an outstanding coach.”

What follows are five examples of what it’s like to work with — and play for — Dan Campbell.

“I love you, man”

At 4 a.m., the night after Detroit’s NFC divisional-round loss to Washington on Jan. 19, Campbell’s phone lit up with a message from star receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown.

“I love you, man. This hurts,” St. Brown texted. “But there’s no other head coach I’d rather play for.”

Campbell replied with the same sentiment and words of encouragement.

Detroit had earned the No. 1 seed for the first time in franchise history, making the 45–31 upset loss at home all the more painful. Both coach and player admitted they had trouble sleeping afterward, the defeat eating at them long into the night.

Detroit’s remarkable 15-win regular season — the best in franchise history — came to an abrupt halt the moment the playoffs began.

“It gnaws at our guys, and that’s why they’re here — because they’re built the right way,” Campbell said the next day, Jan. 20. “That’s what keeps me optimistic. We’ll grow from it, we’ll fight back, we’ll improve. Losses like this just throw more fuel onto the fire.”

Even though Amon-Ra St. Brown was stung by the defeat, he felt confident the Lions would return as legitimate Super Bowl contenders in 2025, especially with Campbell still steering the team.

Drafted 112th overall out of USC in 2021, St. Brown has flourished under Campbell’s leadership, becoming a two-time first-team All-Pro.

“I feel like I can message him anytime. We have that kind of relationship,” St. Brown explained to ESPN. “There’s real mutual respect. Whether things are going well or falling apart, we can reach out to each other, and it always means something.”

While they don’t chat constantly, whenever they do exchange texts, the conversations tend to hold weight. After years of working together toward the same goal, their communication feels natural — not forced.

“I bought in from the moment I arrived,” St. Brown said. “His competitiveness, how much losing irritates him — I connect with that. When he feels like a loss is on him, I feel the same way. We think about winning and losing in a very similar way.”

A call Decker didn’t expect

Back in January 2021, left tackle Taylor Decker was having dinner with his wife, Kyndra, when his phone rang. To his surprise, it was newly hired head coach Dan Campbell calling — just one day into the job.

During that first conversation, Campbell made an effort to connect with the veteran lineman on a personal level. As the two talked, Decker took the opportunity to advocate for offensive line coach Hank Fraley, hoping Campbell would keep him on staff as he assembled his new coaching group.

Decker recalled that after former head coach Matt Patricia was let go, he had spoken with Chris Spielman — who was assisting with the coaching search — and told him that if the new head coach was open to player input, he wanted a chance to speak up on Fraley’s behalf. “I said, ‘If whoever you hire is willing to hear me out, I’d love the opportunity to vouch for Hank. They might not care what I think, but if they’re open to it, I want to try,’” Decker told ESPN.

That led directly to Campbell’s unexpected call.

Their conversation stretched to about 45 minutes, with Campbell inviting Decker’s perspective and signaling early in his tenure that he intended to maintain an open line of communication with players.

And Campbell wasn’t just pretending to listen.

“He genuinely wanted to know what I valued about Hank — what he did well, why he mattered,” Decker said. “I’m not saying my input is why Hank stayed; Hank is great at his job and earned that himself. But it meant something that Dan wanted to hear my thoughts.”

Fraley remained with the Lions and, by 2025, had expanded responsibilities as both the offensive line coach and run-game coordinator. His unit helped power an offense that finished first in the NFL in scoring across the previous three seasons, including a league-best 33.2 points per game in 2024.

A few years later, that same open-door culture proved essential again. As Decker entered the final season of his contract, he approached Campbell privately to talk about wanting to stay in Detroit and to get a straightforward update on where things stood.

During OTAs, Decker walked up to his coach and asked, “What’s the situation?” He explained that he was hearing mixed messages — information trickling from his agent, from people managing the salary cap, from various conversations — and he wanted clarity directly from Campbell. “I just needed it straight,” Decker said. “Tell me what’s going on so I know where things really stand.”

“And pretty much everything he told me played out exactly the way he said it would. All I needed to do was stay patient,” Decker said.

By the sixth day of training camp that summer, the longtime left tackle signed a three-year, $60 million extension — with nearly $32 million guaranteed — keeping him in Detroit through the 2027 season.

Throughout the negotiations, Campbell remained upfront with him. He explained that the team wanted to see how Decker responded physically after offseason surgery on his foot and ankle before finalizing a deal.

“That was part of what he was thinking about,” Campbell recalled. “I told him, ‘Brad and I have you next on the list. Just give us a little time.’ He was coming off surgery, so I wanted him to get through July, start moving well again, and then we’d finish it. And that’s how it went. I give him credit for trusting us. And honestly, every guy in this building knows — if something’s on your mind, come talk to me.”

Campbell said he always gives straight answers. “I remember what it was like being a player. I was lied to once, and I promised myself I’d never do that to anyone else. Even if the truth stings a little, they deserve to hear it.”

A turbulent stretch for Jameson Williams

Wide receiver Jameson Williams endured a tough November in 2024. While serving a two-game suspension for violating the league’s PED policy, he spent his days lifting, conditioning, and catching passes from a Jugs machine. He wasn’t allowed at practices, nor could he travel with the team, so he watched Detroit’s wins over the Titans and Packers with his younger brother, Jaden “Slim” Williams.

Reflecting on the suspension, Williams said, “I learned to be smarter, to handle things differently, to grow up in certain situations.”

Williams’ early years in Detroit had already been bumpy. An ACL tear delayed his rookie debut until late in the season. Not long after, he received a suspension for violating the league’s gambling rules, costing him the first chunk of the 2023 season. Then, in October 2024, police found an unlicensed firearm in his car during a traffic stop — a situation that ended without charges or league discipline.

The PED suspension could have pushed the Lions past their limit with the former No. 12 pick, but instead Campbell publicly reaffirmed his belief in him.

“I trust the kid. I trust who he is,” Campbell said on Oct. 23, 2024. “Sometimes you pay for your mistakes. If something comes down, we deal with it. But over a year ago, we threw the rope down to him. He climbed his way up to us. Maybe he slipped, but he’ll climb back. That rope’s tied off. He’s part of this team.”

For Williams, that unwavering support meant everything.

“Every year it’s been something, and every time he’s been there for me,” Williams told ESPN. “My rookie year he got me ready. My second year he helped me take the next step. Last year he stood by me again during the suspension. He’s never given up on me. And this year, he trusted me enough to keep me here even longer. That’s my guy — I’d go to battle for Dan.”

Williams responded with his first 1,000-yard season in 2024. On the eve of Detroit’s 2025 opener in Green Bay, he signed a three-year extension worth up to $83 million, securing his future with the team through 2029.

In Week 10, he posted six catches for 119 yards and a touchdown against Washington — his fifth career game with at least 100 receiving yards. Campbell’s belief in him has gone far beyond stats.

“It’s him believing in me through everything — every mistake, every setback,” Williams said. “It’s not easy to stick by someone who’s gone through ups and downs, but he’s always stayed with me. He knows the kind of person I am away from football. I love him for always keeping that faith.”

A spark in Miami

Years earlier, Campbell had made a similar impact in Miami. The Dolphins started that season 1–3, morale slipping lower by the week. In an effort to revive the team, the organization dismissed head coach Joe Philbin and elevated Campbell to interim head coach.

According to linebacker Kelvin Sheppard, the shift was immediate.

“Look — I’ve got love for Joe Philbin,” Sheppard said. “But it felt like the building had been dark all year. Like we hadn’t paid the electric bill. When Dan took over, it was like he flipped every light switch back on. Guys suddenly had fire again. Practice had meaning.”

“I’ll admit it, I was one of those players — we let the situation or environment affect how we approached our jobs, and that’s on us,” one player said. “But that just highlights the kind of head coach Dan is.”

When Campbell began his coaching career, he immediately set a tone of intensity and competition. He pushed his team with tougher, more physical practices and sent a clear message about accountability. One example came in 2015, when he lined up Pro Bowl center Mike Pouncey against linebacker Kelvin Sheppard in an Oklahoma drill — two top players battling one-on-one as a running back tried to get past them.

“The first day he took over, he told us to line up, circled us, and said, ‘Go.’ I wasn’t sure what he meant, but it was mano a mano,” Sheppard recalled, now the Lions’ defensive coordinator. “That moment set the standard for the rest of the season. You see how those lessons stuck with him and now with the Lions.”

Under Campbell, the Dolphins finished 6–10 that year, including a 20–10 win over the Patriots in the finale. Even though he didn’t stay on as head coach, Sheppard said Campbell’s aggressive, high-energy style left a lasting mark on the team culture — a style that carried over to Detroit.

“The same principles apply here,” Sheppard said. “Guys like St. Brown, Penei [Sewell], Hutch [Aidan Hutchinson] push every day, no shortcuts. Dan knows how to identify who can lead, how to extend his influence, and how to let them carry the torch. That’s something I’ve learned from him firsthand.”

Off the field, Campbell also connects with players in more lighthearted ways. During the Lions’ team Halloween party ahead of their Nov. 2 matchup with the Vikings, several costumes went viral online — including Jared Goff as the chef from Ratatouille and Jahmyr Gibbs as WWE’s Jeff Hardy. When asked if he and his wife, Holly, had ever dressed up for team parties during his playing days, Campbell shared a colorful memory.

“One year, I was Marilyn Monroe,” he said. “That was a long time ago, and it wasn’t here. Holly was always the creative one with costume ideas.” In the early 2000s, Campbell donned a curly blonde wig and a white dress, while Holly dressed as an angel.

“Her sister even joined in, so it was mostly her and her sister. I was the odd one out — on crutches too because I’d broken my ankle. But yeah, I was Marilyn Monroe, and she bought the dress and wig.”

Holly later shared the photos on Instagram, joking, “By popular demand, and it’s Dan’s fault this time! Happy Halloween!!!”

Whether it’s coaching, handling the media, or managing difficult team decisions — like changing playcalling midseason — Campbell doesn’t hide his emotions. That openness has earned players’ respect.

“Dan’s strength is his willingness to be vulnerable,” former Lions fullback Jason Cabinda said. “It’s rare these days, but he shows it every day. That’s why guys follow him. Everyone can relate to that honesty. He genuinely cares about his players, fights for us, and will always have our backs.”