LIONS HEAD COACH DAN CAMPBELL QUOTE SHEET
October 10, 2025
On an injury status update for Lions DB Brian Branch and Lions S Kerby Joseph: “Yeah, we’re just trying to be smart with them right now and see where they both go. I don’t see – neither one of them, I don’t think, will practice today. So, this will – we’ll have to probably take it to gametime here and see where they’re at.”
On if resting from practice has helped Lions T Taylor Decker and if he will play Sunday: “He’s better. He’s getting better. But it’ll be another one – I think we’ll know a lot more after today. We get through this practice, rehab, all of that.”
On an injury update for Lions DB Avonte Maddox: “Yeah, he’s another one. It’s probably a game time decision, if not before that. It’s how fast can you recover relative to getting him ready to go. Can he make it a full game? That’s kind of where we’re at. So I wish I could give you more clarity, I really can’t right now.”
On how the team manipulates the roster to account for defensive back injuries: “Well, listen, that’s what (Lions Executive Vice President and General Manager) Brad (Holmes)’s a master at. And he’s got a plan for it and we talked about it and we’ll be ready. We’ve got answers ready to go, we’ll have a contingency plan. So, we’ll be prepared. Those guys are ready, that’s awesome and if they’re not, it’s still awesome. We’ll play accordingly.”
On how to get new players like Lions CB Tre Flowers and Lions CB Arthur Maulet acclimated to contribute on game day: “Well, you do the best you can with it. The good news is all of those guys have gotten reps. Every one of those guys have gotten defensive reps. The guys on practice squad, I’m talking about all of them. (Lions S Erick) Hallett (II)’s gotten reps, Flowers has gotten reps, (Lions CB) Rock (Ya-Sin) obviously is already going – he’s getting reps at different positions. (Lions CB Arthur) Maulet has gotten reps, (Lions S Loren) Strickland’s gotten reps. So, those guys have gotten reps. Now is it the same amount of reps everybody else? No, but they’re in there, they know the gameplan, they’re prepared to play any and all. And listen, that’s the hand you’re dealt. We’d better be ready. We’d better be ready.”
On if the strategy to compete against the Chiefs with injuries is to simplify the defensive scheme: “Yeah, I mean I think that’s – you’re always going to probably lean back on that more than the other just to calm their world down a little bit. And because at the end of the day, the most important thing is that we’re all on the same page. And at least you can reduce that kind of stress by simplifying it a little bit. Now the flipside of that is you can become a sitting duck if you’re not careful, but you have to weigh that. You have to weigh what means more to you versus that opponent. So, we’ll be ready. I’ve talked to (Lions Defensive Coordinator Kelvin Sheppard) Shepp. We have an answer defensively and the offense is the same way. (Chiefs Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo) Spags has done a hell of a job. He’s one of the best D-coordinators in this League. I mean he’s outstanding. Those guys, they’ve been together a long time, they’ve seen it all. (Chiefs LB Nick) Bolton runs it for him and they’re on the same page. So, they’ve got answers. They’re no different than any great defense or great defensive coordinator, they’re going to try to take away what you do best first. Like what is the one or two things you hang your hat on and let’s shut that down and if something else beats us, so be it. So that’s what we have to be ready to counter.”
On if Lions DB Brian Branch’s injury is a long-term concern: “No, I don’t think so. It’s just – it’ll come down to how he’s going to feel for this game. But I don’t feel like this is some long-term thing by any means. I feel like we’re going to get him to the game, I really do, but we’ll see. I can’t sit here and guarantee it either.”
On how valuable it is to have a defensive front seven that can do diverse things against Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes: “Huge. Huge. You get in these type of games and then you get where we’re kind of talking about right now with what we may be going into. Well you spread the burden, you spread the load and so there’ll be more onus on that front seven – or front six and nickel. Those guys are going to have to pick up the slack in some areas and reduce some stress off the backend just to help out. And they’ll be expected to, and they will.”
On Lions DL Alim McNeill’s percentage likelihood to play against the Chiefs: “51-49. One way or another. Yeah, he’s – listen, Mac’s getting better and better. He looks good, our O-line hates him right now. But he’s getting better, that’s the best I’ll tell you right now.”
On how much Lions DL Alim McNeill could reasonably take on if he plays Sunday: “I think you could – I think being smart, you get him 20, 25 plays. I think being smart, that’s the right thing to do. Yeah, he’d be ready for that.”
On if there is a part of the coaching staff and team that needs to embrace the chaos of roster uncertainty due to injury: “Yeah, you do. I think that’s part of the challenge. I don’t want to say it’s fun, but this is the stuff that makes you – this is – not everybody can handle this and that I think is where I feel like we thrive. The coaches, the players, the atmosphere, all of it is – we kind of love this. You’re being tested and you’re kind of in the dirt a little bit and we like it a little dirty. So, this’ll be good.”
On the longevity and what is needed to win consecutively like Kansas City has: “I mean it – to be able to come back year in and year out and stay hungry, stay competitive, do the right things, don’t get complacent, eliminate entitlement when you’ve been a champion over and over, I think that takes a special kind of group, a special kind of coaching staff, special kind of leadership, players, the whole thing. And so, what they’ve done is special. Same – all those years New England had with (former NFL QB Tom) Brady and (former NFL Head Coach Bill) Belichick. That is so difficult to do and so I’ve got the utmost respect for those guys. And that’s why they’re never out of it. They’re always going to have a chance because they have that makeup. They have that winner’s makeup, that champions makeup. But that’s right up our alley, we love this. This is – you want to look back on this in a few years and say that’s what we’ve become.”
On if he feels like the longevity Kansas City has developed is building with the Lions now: “Absolutely. Absolutely it’s building. And that’s what we preach here. Our players believe in it. You’ve got to stay hungry and every game is a new game and you’ve got to take it personal. You’ve got to take it personal.”
On if it is easier for Lions QB Jared Goff to be in shotgun against Kansas City’s defense that moves around a lot and changes looks: “Yeah, I think it can help just get back from the line a little bit. It helps. He’s got height too, so with the gun he can kind of see things a little bit. And I do think it can kind of help him maneuver a little quicker than maybe under center. But the under center is where with the run game and play-pass, that’s where you’ve got to counter it. Now that comes with its own challenges with this defense too – under center and you start getting in cut splits, that creates issues. But yeah, I think that’s a good assessment.”
