From the moment he was introduced as the Detroit Lions head coach, Dan Campbell has been a quote machine. Unfiltered, candid, almost cliche', you name it, he has gone that way to say something memorable.
Back in August, when describing how he feels about the expectations for the team this season, Campbell showed his music taste extends beyond Metallica to paraphrase Bette Midler.
#Lions coach Dan Campbell says he doesn't feel any pressure from season tickets being sold out or any outside expectations. "I don't feel weight. I feel wind underneath my freakin' wings," he said. "Truthfully."
— Eric Woodyard (@E_Woodyard) August 5, 2023
And yes, you need a refresher on the visual.
The Lions moved to 3-1 with a not-as-close-as-the-score-indicates 34-20 win over the Green Bay Packers on Thursday night. They are now lined up to be "the hunted" in the NFC North, which is certainly something new for the franchise with no division titles since 1993. For a group of young players, this is entirely new territory.
Dan Campbell adds to his list of memorable quotes to describe mentality he wants the Lions to maintain
Speaking to the media on Friday, via Justin Rogers of the Detroit News, Campbell was sure to put it out there that this team hasn't accomplished anything just yet and there are no laurels to rest on at the quarter-point of a long season.
"Yeah, I think our focus has to be we're not hunted; we're still on the hunt," Campbell said. "If you're hunting us, you won't have to look far; we're going to be on your front porch when you open the door."
Next up for the Lions is the winless (pending Sunday's result against the Minnesota Vikings) Carolina Panthers, at home, in Week 5. At Carolina last Christmas Eve, the Panthers rushed for 320 yards and gave the Lions a rough loss that ultimately cost them a playoff spot. Campbell talked about that too, in terms of focusing on only the next game.
"I know when we get back to this (on Monday), it's Carolina. They got after us pretty good last year...."
The walking quote that is Dan Campbell delivered again, to describe the mentality he wants his team to keep--in way only he would.