Dan Campbell sets tone for the Lions right off the bat as training camp starts

The Detroit Lions will have their first training camp practice on Wednesday, and head coach Dan Campbell took the podium to officially start the proceedings. And quite a podium it was, in line with the team facility now bearing a new name.

Campbell talked about how he addressed the team on Tuesday night, after all the players had reported.

"I talked to them last night. It was really like it’s been, and that’s, ‘It’s all about the work.’ We don’t live off of reputation, we live off of work," Campbell said. "That’s what’s gotten us to where we’re at. It’s been a long, hard road to get to where we’re at right now and there’s a price to be paid, so we’ve got to go pay it again. That’s the message, and it’ll always be the message.” 

Dan Campbell sets the immediate tone for the Lions, all the way around

Expanding on the idea of putting in the work and not getting complacent, as if that would even be a thing with this group of players, Campbell harkened back to his time as a player with the New York Giants. In 2000, the Giants went 12-4 and lost Super Bowl XXXV. In 2001, they went 7-9.

"Here's one of the best things that ever happened to me. I was part of a team that, man, we did something really special. We came up a little short and the next year, we had the exact same team. I mean, we made it a point. And man, I just remember there was a couple of things, you know, we, you know, 'hey guys, we're not gonna go pads' and everybody's, 'yeah!'. 'Hey guys, get out here a little bit early.' And pretty soon, you know, by the end of it, you're not, you just lost your identity and everything that had made you what you are, you went away from because, you know what, 'we'll be okay. We got the same guys.' And that was a lesson learned for me, because we were we were an average 7-9 the next year after going 12-4. And I will never forget that, ever,  we are not going to lose our identity. That is the most important thing to me, and I won't sacrifice it for for anyone or anything." 

Campbell said the first padded practice of Lions' training camp will be next Monday, July 29, after four days of acclimation period and a day off on Sunday.

It has become a tradition for Campbell to do up-downs with the players at the start of camp. The Lions' season really can't officially start at this point until he does.