Detroit Lions standout pledges to ignore NFL directive after memo sent across the league
The NFL issued its warning following Jack Campbell’s Lions defeat to the Chiefs.
Detroit expressed frustration over Campbell being singled out; meanwhile, San Francisco 49ers lineman Alfred Collins struck Kyren Williams in the helmet before hitting the football loose and causing a turnover his team recovered. Despite that, Campbell refuses to alter his style of play for anyone — not even league officials.
“I don’t know how many people have actually played in an NFL game, but when you’re going full speed and trying to strip the ball, clean punch-outs are rare,” Campbell said Friday. “Honestly, I don’t care.
“I’ll keep swinging, and if I miss, whatever. Forget it.”
The NFL plans to flag personal fouls for failed punch-outs that connect with the runner instead of the ball, but that rule doesn’t faze him. “I’ll probably end up with 150 personal fouls by season’s end — that should be fun,” Campbell joked.
The Lions’ defense has generated seven fumbles this season, just one behind the league leaders.
Campbell recorded a strip-sack against Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson and a punch-out versus Bengals rusher Chase Brown, while Aidan Hutchinson is tied with Bills edge rusher Joey Bosa with four forced fumbles.
“They just got upset because I punched someone,” Campbell said. “But they’ve got pads on. Honestly, it hurt my hand more than theirs.”
The punch-out method involves defenders striking the football mid-tackle to create a fumble.
This defensive art was made famous by cornerback Charles Tillman’s legendary “Peanut Punch” from his Chicago Bears and Carolina Panthers years.
Campbell’s Lions sit at 4-2 after their loss to the Chiefs and aim to rebound against the 5-1 Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday Night Football, Oct. 20.
