The Detroit Lions beat the Green Bay Packers 24-14 on Sunday, but the score
FOX Sports analyst Tom Brady had a front row seat to Detroit's domination in another first place showdown, and came away impressed with what he witnessed. Brady is not far removed from his own playing career, and seems to have a strong affinity for how the 2024 Lions play the game under their head coach.
Speaking afterward with his FOX colleagues, Brady was asked about Dan Campbell. He gushed about the edge Campbell always brings to the sideline for the Lions.
"I would have loved to have him as a coach. I would love to have him as a teammate. He's like the exact kind of guy you'd want. Selfless. Determined. Resilient. He's got this way about him that he cares. He's a great leader. I believe leaders do two things: they're very curious, they're open to learning and they continue to care about the people that they work with. You could tell coach Campbell cares about his players. Even the way he adapts to the games, he adapts to the weeks of practice. He's very authentic and in a world where we're not dealing with it and a lot of people are feeding us a lot of BS, he's obviously so truthful with the guys that he's coaching. I think they love him for that. They love playing for him."
The Lions have galvanized around Campbell, and the locker room is incredibly tight. That's due in large part to Campbell's work of building a culture that is second to none. Having been on some fantastic teams of his own, Brady knows a winner when he sees on and he isn't shy about saying he wishes he could go to battle alongside Campbell.
Tom Brady: Lions showed they're the best team in the NFC right now
At 7-1, the Lions have asserted themselves atop the NFC North. Do they pass the eye test as the best team in the conference right now, though? To Brady, the answer is a resounding yes.
"Absolutely. Just the way they're winning these games. They run it on the ground. They've got incredible backs (and) play calling. The offensive line sets a tone. We all thought coming in, these conditions, it's a brutal game out here. The wind was nasty. It was raining (with a) slippery field. It didn't look like that for the Lions. They did nothing other than execute the plan. They played with the lead. Great complimentary football. All around win for this team. That was one of the best I've seen all year from them."
The Lions not only survived the elements on Sunday, but thrived in them. They've won inside and out this season, and have looked solid no matter what. For that reason in addition to their coach, Brady thinks Detroit is on track as the conference's best team as November gets going.