San Francisco and Detroit will take center stage on “Monday Night Football” this week.
As the Detroit Lions prepare to face the San Francisco 49ers for Monday Night Football, 49ers tight end George Kittle is showing admiration—particularly for Lions coach Dan Campbell.
When asked about Campbell’s coaching style, Kittle gave a thoughtful and complimentary response.
“I think when you have a head coach who played—and the way he played, too—he was gritty, kind of nasty, but loved by his teammates, it’s easy to play for someone like that,” Kittle told Grant Cohn of 49ers on SI.
“He seems like the type of coach who runs tough practices, makes them grind, and earn every second. You want someone who holds you to a high standard, and he’s built that since he arrived. It’s great to see the Lions succeed, but it’s our job to bring them down a bit.”
Kittle’s take is notable, especially given the differences between 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan and Campbell. Shanahan focuses heavily on offensive play-calling, while Campbell works closely with offensive coordinator Ben Johnson.
Campbell’s approach is more emotional than calculated, a style that occasionally backfires but has largely paid off for the 13–2 Lions—a significant turnaround from their 3–13 record in 2021.
Their contrasting styles will be evident when the teams clash Monday at 8:15 p.m. ET.
