Dan Campbell - Head Coach, lions Event: Press Conference | Date: 2026-08-07 | Full transcript (primary source).
On August 7, 2026, Dan Campbell, the head coach of the Detroit Lions, held a press conference to discuss the team's preparations for the upcoming season and the return of key players to practice. The event provided an opportunity for Campbell to address the media about the team's progress and his expectations following a challenging previous season.
Transcript
Campbell: Yes, we are juiced right now to have the head coach of the Detroit Lions with us, Dan Campbell coach, how happy are you to answer a question about your gives actually going to be able to practice now.
Campbell: Well, I yeah, I'm I'm excited about that you know to be able to get him out here and get him going. You know, I said all along, I mean Brad, I love this kid and he's one of us and he fits what we do perfectly of course who does he not fit, I mean this guy something else so it's good to have him back.
Campbell: Yeah, highest paid running back in the NFL. What makes him so good for you.
Campbell: He does everything you know he look he he's tough to protect he's smart, he's versatile. He's got vision as a runner, he's got patience, he's obviously got long speed, you know, so he breaks out in the open he can take the distance and and man this kid's got a route tree now to you can line him up at receiver and we just started to teeter into that there's a ton of meat on the bone for this guy.
Campbell: And beside being jacked and beside being caffeinated right now like are you recharged as well.
Campbell: I am recharged. You know, I think you know last year was tough, I mean that was a it's a bad taste in your mouth when you go through it and I was telling somebody the other day, I mean you you you go through the last game and then it's you're going whatever this is 6 months, you know from from from that point to what we just got to a week ago, which is the start of training camp. That's how long it takes to get back to that point and all the other stuff yes, or the value acquire players, but but it's all about getting back to where now you can start the next season and really do it the right way.
Campbell: And when you think about your quarterback Jared Goff. What do you add with him at the stage with with his new coordinator drew petzing.
Campbell: Well drew man, I you know I was always intrigued with drew and crossover tape of some of the things he was able to do man the run game man, the run game, but also match ups in the past game, you know they I thought he did a lot with with little you know they didn't they they're they had some you know look they didn't have some of the pieces that we've got here and I thought man, he did a great job of finding those matchups and using them and the run game was intriguing so the guy man he understands how to coach the run game the past and protections he understands quarterback play and he and he and golf man are are great man great for each other they bounce ideas off. One another and I think they they continue to just test and climb and and now where can we go with this I love that.
Campbell: I think you can go a long ways here Dan, especially I mean it was a priority here to rebuild this offensive line, yes, late comes in Panay goes to the other side Kate comes in how is you kind of seen that because it all starts up front right.
Campbell: Yeah, well today will be our 4th day and in pads. So we're just at the infant stages of this right now, I know this Panay's soul is a badass. Okay, and and there is no drop-off in Panay I can promise you that and by the way when you're when your best players, your hardest workers and most accountable than everybody else is going to do what's asking.
Campbell: You describe his power.
Campbell: No, no, no, it's not out to you can't you wish you could just for all the listeners just stand in front of them and let him just unload on you one time that's the only way to truly fill his dollars, but then we'd be liable for us all.
Campbell: Do you have any offensive plays scripted up for him.
Campbell: Not yet, but we will okay. We will he look he's a versatile. I've said this all along. He's a weapon. Yeah, he's a weapon. He plays on the old line. There's so much he can do so look the old line. I'm glad we got Kate Mays. He's a work in progress. I see growth out of Tate Ratlidge right now. All right, 3 days and Blake Miller man is getting tested every day by hutch and that's great for him. So he's on the downturn. He will begin to swing back up. All right, because he's made that way. That's why we drafted him. So we're good and we got a left-guard battle going on. We got mahogany over there. Barts is not practice yet. We'll see. We got juice drugs.
Campbell: What's it like coaching on and Ross St. Brown.
Campbell: Well, he coaches himself because he's so conscientious and he's just man. He's a true pro man. He's competitive, but but I would say it to be able to coach a guy like he's everything we're about man. He everything that I embody and how I see a player and our team. That's who he is at the receiver position. And so man, he's a blessing to coach every day. He does not take days off. He does not take plays off and he's a guy you got to save him from himself. He plays when he's injured and and you just wish everybody would that's what it that that's the model man. It's him.
Campbell: Yeah, then one of the trends we saw in this league last year was the return of tight ends like in a lot of different formations. You lost Sam the second half of the season, but obviously he's a big part. You're bringing Tyler Conklin. What do you see this trend continuing right now?
Campbell: I think this will be the hot trend for everybody in this league, you know, and I've said it all along and everybody knows this, you know, it if you got three tight ends, you can play the game with them, you know, and so now you play the game with the defense. They want to go nickel. You can run it as long as those guys are willing to mix it up. And then if they go base, well, you get match ups right because you like your athletic tight ends. But more than that, you get predictable looks because base defense. There are a lot of teams only give you three or four looks. And so now it's the predictability, you know, so I think that trend stays. It's good to have Laporta back. He's not just a receiving tight end. He does it all. And and and oh, by the way, I'd hurt losing him. It also hurt losing Brock, right? We lost both of those guys in the back half of the season and that it hurt us so hard in the run game to.
Campbell: Yes, when you look at the run game last year, knowing how much you want to run the football. How does it change going into this season now that Pacheco has been added to the mix?
Campbell: Listen, I love Pacheco. Wow. You know, and I love David practice like he plays Dan like just like a million miles an hour.
Campbell: Yes, he does. Man, this guy's all out. He's all out. I just I love his and since he fits us like a glove and look, I love Dave Montgomery, man, and I wish him well. He will. He's going to have a heck of career down there in Houston. It's a great fit. But but this kid, man, he's going to be a great one to punch. He and gives back there for us and he brings some attitude, right? That the old line feeds off of that stuff and he he'll be our attitude runner and it'll be good for us because look, it does start with us. I don't care what it is. It starts up front. You can kid yourself all you want. You can put up points and numbers and yards, but you can't run the ball when you need to run it. You're not going to win playoff games.
Campbell: Yep. I feel you. We haven't even talked about the defense. How complete is Aiden Hutchinson as a pass rusher?
Campbell: He he's got it all and you know, here we are. You know, we're two weeks in four days and pads are about to go our fourth day and he continues to get better. I mean, he's such a savvy crafty knows how to bend. We got a Lee McNeil back man who looks healthy. One hundred percent Ty Leak looks good. He's got his weight down. He's humming. Want him looks good. Listen, I love where our D lines at right now. I love where it's at and I feel like we should go practice Baldy.
Campbell: We got to let him run. He got a one on one drill. You guys are welcome. We won't have any one on one today. I'm sorry. It'll all be team. It's going to be all competitive.
Campbell: That's even better. Yeah. Let's go play. Dan Campbell. Thank you so much for the time.
Campbell: Yes. Absolutely. Good seeing you guys. Back to you guys. More Dan Campbell. Tell him we don't we don't want him to go in practice. You guys that was that was terrific.