When Dan Campbell was named head coach of the Detroit Lions, it was clear from the introductory press conference that he would be far from the norm. His style of coaching might not be for everyone, but his authenticity fits well in Detroit, and his players love him for it.
Aside from biting kneecaps, Campbell has even worked out with his players during camp. For most head coaches, doing down-ups with your team in the middle of summer would be odd and unnecessary. For Campbell, however, it's right on brand.
Campbell retired from playing after the 2008 season with the Lions. Just two years later, he made the transition to coaching with the Miami Dolphins. Most former players begin coaching because it keeps them close to the game, and it's the closest thing to playing.
Campbell thought of a way to get even closer to playing as a coach: wearing pads.
Dan Campbell nearly went to a funny extreme to connect with his players
Campbell was the tight ends coach for the Dolphins (2011-2015) when he had the idea to suit up for practice.
"I was still in good shape, I just couldn't run very much anymore," Campbell said on the Brad Galli Show. "But I could still squat, I could still (power clean), I could wrestle, you know."
Most people have heard of the saying, 'just because you can, doesn't mean you should'. This could be one of those instances, but Campbell thought it was the best way to help the team prepare.
"I just felt like that was important," Campbell said. "I needed to feel their hands and their strength, and the only way to do that, or give a look that I knew a defensive end would give without it actually being the defensive end, was I'll do it. So, yeah, I did that for a while. Then as you get older, you know who you can wrestle with and who you can't."
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Campbell's mindset has rubbed off on people in Detroit, and it had the same effect in Miami. Former Dolphins wide receiver coach Shawn Jefferson shook off the rust and padded up for a practice in 2016. More recently, there were clips of New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel using blocking pads to help their rookies in the 2025 offseason.
When it comes down to it, the only thing that matters is if the team wins on Sunday. For Detroit fans, it's nice to know the head coach cares enough about winning that he's willing to go to the extreme. Whether Campbell is wearing a suit, a Lion costume, or something in between, fans won't mind as long as the wins keep coming.
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