After the Week 4 win over the Seattle Seahawks, unaware Jared Goff just went 18-for-18 in the game, Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell admitted how he botched giving his quarterback a game ball in the post-game locker room. It was made right afterward, but it definitely loses something when it's not captured in a moment for the world to see.
Campbell's post-game locker room speeches are the stuff of occasional legend, and after Sunday's blowout win over the Dallas Cowboys he was sure to add to the list. He is from Texas, and played three seasons for the Cowboys. Winning in his home state, over a team he played for (let alone in blowout fashion like it happened), was sure to mean a little bit more to the Lions' head man.
Jared Goff finishes Lions' post-game celebration with message for Dan Campbell
"This is the tightest this group has been. This is the tightest this 2024 team has been. We found somethin' special last year, man, I felt it going into this game....."
"I do have two game balls, and this time I wrote down some stats."
That "stats" remark from Campbell came as he was looking in the direction where we'd eventually find out Goff was standing. Campbell gave game balls to Goff and defensive back Brian Branch for their outstanding performances against the Cowboys.
After Campbell outlined Branch's statistics from the game (two interceptions, a forced fumble, etc.), gave him his game ball and Branch spoke briefly. Goff approached his coach.
"Our f*cking head coach is our f*cking rock now,” Goff said. “We’re in f*cking Dallas in his f*cking place where he played. Game ball goes to him.”
Campbell then broke down the locker room with "How about a little kick a**, on three."
Goff's gesture is another example of the culture Campbell has set since becoming the Lions' head coach, and it's more evidence of how high a regard the players as a whole hold their coach.
Check out the full video of Sunday's postgame locker room celebration: