LIONS HEAD COACH DAN CAMPBELL QUOTE SHEET
September 22, 2023
On Lions G Halapoulivaati Vaitai’s injury status: “Yeah, I don’t feel good about him for this game, but he’s improved significantly since last week. So, it’s still – we won’t know. It’s just a matter of how quickly he recovers, but he is improving. I can’t really give you a window yet.”
On if Lions G Halapoulivaati Vaitai’s injury will recover within a four-week window to keep him off the Reserve/Injured list: “Yes, yes, definitely within that. We feel good that we’ll have him within that IR window. That’s why we didn’t do it. I think the trick with some of this is going to be next week, we don’t have live – any live reps in a short week. So, that’s what makes it hard. Even some guys it’s, can you really get them practice reps even if they’re physically ready? That’ll be the trick with some of these guys.”
On the status of the other injured players like Lions RB David Montgomery, Lions T Taylor Decker and Lions S Kerby Joseph: “All of those guys are improving and it’s – so much of it is going to be, what does it look like today? We’re going to continue to work, get those guys on the side. Some of those guys are doing walkthrough, jog-through portion. And so, we’ll know a lot more after this morning.”
On if there are any injured players he is certain will not play this weekend: “I don’t think (Lions CB Emmanuel) Moseley will make it. I think, to me, (Lions G Halapoulivaati) Vaitai and Moseley are the two that I feel most that would be out at this point, but with more to come. We’ll just – we’ll know more out here.”
On how Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown responded to being back in practice yesterday: “Good. He looked real good. Felt good, moved well. So, we feel pretty good.”
On if they are staying with the decision to not fill the last active roster spot: “That’s the plan right now. Just gives us a little flexibility here.”
On what he says to Lions CB Jerry Jacobs to ensure he bounces back from his performance in the Seattle game: “Yeah, it’s not – look, when things happen in this game, it’s – things are going to happen, especially when you play outside. We say it all the time, ‘If you’re a quarterback or a cornerback, you’ve got to have short memory, and you’ve got to bounce back.’ And to me, it’s not about that, it’s about man, you just line up again and go compete. Just go compete. Things are going to happen. And that’s what Jerry is, though. He’s always been competitive. That’s why he earned a spot when he was a rookie free agent. He just worked his way into it and kept grinding and found his way here. Came off of injury and so he’s always been a guy that has thrived in competition. So, he’s had a good week of practice. I expect him to snap back and get after it.”
On how Lions DL Isaiah Buggs has responded to being inactive the first two weeks: “He’s been good. Buggs has been a pro. He’s been a pro and right before the Kansas City game, he told me – came to me and said, ‘Hey, Coach, I’m going to do whatever I’ve got to do and I’m going to keep working. And I know the deal and I’m going to show you guys.’ And he’s going to get an opportunity.”
On if Lions DL Isaiah Buggs will get an opportunity to play this week: “He’s going to get an opportunity.”
On if Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs and Falcons RB Bijan Robinson are the exception to running backs not normally drafted as high or if they could be the start of a new trend: “Well, I think they’re both unique because you feel like they have so much versatility. And I think that’s where – when you feel like a guy can do multiple jobs, certainly can carry it in the backfield and do multiple different – multiple schemes as a runner, but then man, they have the ability out of the backfield as a route runner, you can split them out and do some things as a receiver. And then they’ve got this explosive speed, burst, all those things. It falls back into that weaponry. And I think that’s what makes them so unique, both of them.”
On how much Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs is motivated by being on the field against another top running back in his draft class with Falcons RB Bijan Robinson: “I don’t know, and I don’t – that’s not something that I’ve asked him about. I’m not worried about that. I just know him. He’s – listen, he’s the same guy every day. He’s never high. He’s never low. He just – you can coach him, he wants to improve, he works at what you tell him. I think for him it’s just always going to be about getting better than he was the day before or the game before. But don’t let the quietness – don’t let that fool you into thinking he’s not a competitor because he is.”
On Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs being a physical running back despite being viewed primarily for his speed: “No, he is. He’s not a fragile back. We don’t believe that and it’s – sometimes when you see a guy who has speed and is good in space that – you put those two together and that’s not the case we believe with Gibbs. Look, he’s like anybody else. He’s a rookie, he’s learning, he’s gotten better every week, he’s gotten better every game and he’ll continue to get better the more reps he gets.”
On how he has seen Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs’s competitive mindset: “I just – you can see out in practice. He can self-diagnose pretty quick. He knows when things aren’t right or if he doesn’t win on a rep. You can just see the determination on him and it’s not a vocal-type deal. You can just see there’s a demeanor about him that when he gets the next one, he’s going to be on point. He’s going to learn from the mistake he just had and he’s running to win. That’s what he’s trying to do.” |
