LIONS HEAD COACH DAN CAMPBELL TRAINING CAMP DAY 13 QUOTE SHEET
August 13, 2025
Opening Statement: “Pretty excited about today, really these next two days to get some work with the Dolphins. Kind of mentioned this, man, they’ve got really good personnel, good scheme, and it’s somebody different. Just gives us a chance to kind of work against different types of looks and athletes. Anyway, it’s awesome. So, we’re fired up about this, we’re looking forward to it.”
On if he senses excitement about joint practice from players: “Oh for sure. The guys know, this is – as with anything, our guys love to compete. When you go against each other every day, at some point it’s – you’ve seen about all you can see out of each other. Doesn’t mean you’re still not trying to win, but now you get somebody else that has different moves and different footwork and different styles, and you have to adjust quickly, but you’re trying to win, right? You’re competing, and that’s the best. Our guys are, they’re excited.”
On if he will be gravitating towards different position groups today: “No, I’m going to stay on the offensive field, and then one-on-ones I kind of always hover around the backs and tight ends, that’s just me. But either way, what I don’t see, to be able to watch the tape, I’m excited about. We’ll have one-on-ones, we’ll have some group, we’ll have red zone, we’re going to have it all, really. So this’ll be good.”
On if primarily starters will be working against the Dolphins’ first team or if they will work rookies in more: “Yeah, I think that’s the best way to look at it. It’s really two groups, that’s probably the best way to think about it. Certainly, the quarterbacks will be working that second group, they’ll be rotating. But it’s really a ones and twos, and so that’s where we get – this is really where we get our good work with that first group. And yes, there will be a few young guys that’ll get worked in with those groups to see how they do against Miami’s ones on offense and defense and special teams, so we’ll get a good look.”
On Lions RB Sione Vaki’s injury status and if he will experience setbacks: “The plan is for Vaki to be out there today. He’s going to get some individual, some group, and then we’re going to put him in a couple of team reps and see how he adjusts, see what he can handle. And if he can handle it, then maybe he gets a little more and a little more. So he’s actually, as of today, ready to start doing some stuff. And yeah, when you can’t practice, it’s always a setback. Especially when he’s only had very few days to where he was in, but it is what it is. That’s behind you, and you’ve got to call this day one. What are you going to do about it? So it’s just good to get him back on this grass.”
On how the young EDGE rushers are progressing: “I think all those guys improved. I really thought, even the other night, I thought all those guys showed a little bit and showed some improvement over a week period, so that was good to see. (Lions EDGE) Nate Lynn made a couple of plays, had a couple of rushes there. (Lions DL Keith) Cooper I think continues to show that he has some versatility which is good. And (Lions EDGE Isaac) Ukwu, Ukwu hit a long arm. And we know what (Lions EDGE Mitchell Agude) Mitch is capable of, so I just think they’ve all improved, it’s good to see. It’s a pretty good competition right now.”
On how joint practices are more productive than preseason games: “Because you know you’re going to be able to get what you want to get, for sure. You don’t have to worry about – you get in one of these games, and you can’t convert on a third down, which nobody wants that, none of us want any of that. Or you don’t ever get in the red zone, whereas now, you’ll make sure you get those looks against that opponent, so you’re going to get the work. First, second down, third down, red zone, maybe backed up, a short yardage, all of those you will work in. And it’s in a controlled environment, right? I think all of those things help, so that’s the advantage of it, and you get all of it.”
On if he believes Lions WR Jameson Williams would win a race against Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill: “I’m not getting into that. That’s a lot of speed, alright? That would be a lot of speed on one field. Imagine all three of them out there on the same team together, alright? That’s what I think about. No, I’m not getting into all that, man. That’s a ton of speed.”
On what he likes about Lions OL Giovanni Manu’s eagerness to progress: “I’ve said this before, man, when you go against some really good players, particularly if you have to go against them day after day after day, you either crumble or you get better. You have no choice, because those players will bury you. They will bury you. And so I feel like as long as he stays open and he doesn’t lose confidence and he keeps trying to hone his craft against those players, he will elevate. He’s there right now. I feel like he’s trying to learn, he’s trying to get better, and so that’s really all you can ask for right now.”
On seeing Lions EDGE Aidan Hutchinson compete against another team during joint practice: “I’ll always – if I’m on the offensive field, I’m always going to peek over there at the defense whenever I can get a minute to see what’s going on, but most of that will be caught up with the tape. But I’m always eager, I’m eager to see what (Lions EDGE Marcus) Davenport looks like. I’m eager to see what (Lions DL) Tyleik (Williams) looks like. I can go across the board, man, I want to know our defense looks good. I want to know our defense is what I think it is right now. So, I’m pretty excited. And this is a good opponent to go against, this is a good offense. They run a good scheme, good system, they’ve got speed on the perimeter. Some of their stuff in the run game is unique and it’s tricky, and it’ll cause you to have some dirty eyes if you’re not careful. We’re going to have to be disciplined, that’s the other thing, right? You’ve got to be ready to go, but you better be disciplined in your keys.”
On the importance of having a genuine relationship with players as a coach: “That’s probably a better question for players than me. I think it’s important to be who you are, that’s probably the best way to say it, because players see through B.S. They know when you’re full of it, and they sniff that out in a heartbeat. I think it’s important to be who you are, be honest with them. Whether they like it or not, they’ll appreciate it. Certainly, I know that (Dolphins Head) Coach (Mike) McDaniel does that over there.”
On injury updates for Lions EDGE Ahmed Hassanein and Lions CB Terrion Arnold: “Yeah, Ahmed should be out there today, it was just a little bit of a scare. He should be out there working, which is good. I don’t see TA in these. He’s getting better, he’s doing more every day, but I don’t see him being able to go through these practices. We’re going to be shooting for next week.”
On how they can make joint practices as operationally game-like as possible with two new coordinators: “What you do is – we do have scripted, but for example, one of them today is going to be – it’ll be basically, kind of a move the ball or a call-it period, which means in my own head, I’ll call it out or I’ll script it out. So they don’t know what’s coming, and they’ve got to be ready to make the call, ‘It’s second-and-9, it’s third-and-2, it’s third-and-10, oh it’s a penalty, we’re back to first-and-10. All of a sudden it’s a shift, play down the red zone.’ So you have to make the call, they do on defense, too, that helps. And then we’ll have more of it, tomorrow will be unscripted. It will be move the ball, so now you are in game flow. Those always help.”
