LIONS HEAD COACH DAN CAMPBELL QUOTE SHEET
October 16, 2025
Opening Statement: “We’ve got a real good opponent coming in Monday night. (Buccaneers Head Coach) Todd Bowles, got a lot of respect for him. As you guys know, we were together in Dallas. I’ve known him for a long time, coached together in Miami. And just what he’s done throughout the years, he’s an outstanding coach, teams are tough, physical, aggressive, disciplined. So, we’ve got our hands full – quarterback’s playing really good football right now. Got a lot of respect for him, the way he plays the game. They’ll grind it out but they’ve got an explosive element on their offense – they’ve got guys they can throw to here, they can run the ball, good offensive line, defensive. You’ve got to be ready for it all. (Buccaneers LB) Lavonte David’s been doing it a long time, he’s a takeaway machine. In the front, (Buccaneers DT) Vita Vea, obviously. (Buccaneers S Antoine) Winfield (Jr.), I mean we can keep going. They’ve got a lot of good players over there and they play good football. So, we’re looking forward to this challenge.”
On the similarities and differences between Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield and Lions QB Jared Goff: “Well, I think they’re both tough. Like to me they’re both really tough, dependable, resilient guys. I think both of them have overcome a lot. I think when you watch those guys and just the nature of the way they play. Like our quarterback will sit in there, he’ll make throws with – he had to do it the other day – he’s getting crunched in the pocket and has to deliver the ball. He’s not afraid of that. They both deliver in critical moments, they don’t get frazzled. I just think there’s those elements to it. And of course, (Buccaneers QB) Baker (Mayfield) has got the ability to run a little bit more. And that shows up because he’s hard to take down. He’ll slip under you, he can stay alive – you saw what he did the other day, he broke a bunch of tackles, found a way to get that first down, third-and-14. I mean that’s kind of his game too. So, just competitive, and that’s what they have in common. Guys are competitive.”
On how he thinks the defense has adjusted to playing more zone coverage and blitzing less the last couple of weeks: “Well I think we’ve adjusted well. I mean you do what you’ve got to do per opponent and where you’re at too. So, we felt like going into the last two games where we were at, that was the right thing to do for the most part. But there again every game’s different and you always assess and decide how you’re going to play that game. And just because it’s been that way a tick more, doesn’t mean it’s staying that way.”
On why the team has continuously bounced back and avoided losing consecutive games: “It’s our players. Our players. We’ve got a good group of guys that are competitive. There again, they’re a resilient group, they know how to overcome adversity, they don’t like losing and they go back to work to fix the things that need to be fixed. We’ve got a couple of things to clean up and we’re going to clean them up this week. So, it’s our players. Coaches do a hell of a job too.”
On what he thinks of the team’s run game and if it has been as consistent as they would have hoped: “Yeah, I like our run game. You get in a game like what happened last week and all of a sudden you end up – you miss on one of those possessions and now you’re down two scores. It takes you out of a little bit of that. You try to get it going, but you don’t have as many opportunities so if you miss on one, down two scores, it’s hard to go back to it because you kind of got to start pushing the ball a little bit. But as far as being pretty efficient, I mean we’re pretty efficient with it. We’ve got a pretty efficient run game. We’re always going to want more. I’m going to want more. That’s just the nature of how I feel, I’m going to want more always offensively. But I like it. It’s certainly a weapon for us.”
On what must be done in the gameplan against a game wrecker like Buccaneers DT Vita Vea: “Yeah, he’s a good player. He’s a good player. I think he’s so – look the size is one thing, but his quickness to get off the ball, he’s got explosiveness and he’s got really good feet. And that’s what makes – when you’re a man that big and you can move like he moves, then you’ve got to do everything right. You’ve got to play with leverage, you’ve got to have the get-off of your life. We have double teams, we’ve got to be able to fit the double teams together. You’re off just a little bit and he’ll split you, he’ll crease you, he’ll get an edge – he’ll do that in the pass game too. He’ll swim sometimes. And so if you’re not locked in and you’re not perfect fundamentally, he’ll get on you. So it’s just another one of those we’ve got to be locked in on every stinking play and we’ve got to work together.”
On what having Lions DL Alim McNeill back will do for the defense: “Yeah, I mean (Lions DL Alim McNeill) Mac brings a lot to us. Feel like he’s going to bring a lot in the pass game because he is a guy we believe can win one-on-ones in the pass game, but also all that he can do in the run game. I mean he’s stout, he’s aggressive, he’s powerful. So, I just think he’s another player that can elevate those around him. And that’s a good thing when you start talking about, well who are the players around him? I think he helps (Lions EDGE Aidan Hutchinson) Hutch, just like Hutch will help him. I think he helps (Lions EDGE Al-Quadin) Muhammad, I think he helps (Lions DL DJ) Reader, I think he helps all of them – and the backers behind him. So, it’s good for us to get him back.”
On the difficulty of game planning when the Buccaneers have injuries in their offense: “Well, I think they’re – if you look at what they, shoot just look at the San Francisco game. They kind of ran their system and (Buccaneers QB) Baker (Mayfield) found the open receiver and if he wasn’t there, he progressed. He’s playing good football. And those receivers are doing what they’re asked to do. I would say it’s a pretty detailed, disciplined group. They’re where they’re supposed to be when they’re supposed to be there and then the rest is up to Baker. So, I think a lot of times that can make it easier, sometimes, just from the quarterback position and offensively just to work right through the progression and you’ve got to do your job. And so, they really haven’t missed a beat. Now certainly, you get a guy like (Buccaneers WR Mike) Evans back, he’s a massive weapon. And they could get him back, we’ll find out. But it’s always going to be that fine balance between alright you play a ton of zone, well then they pick you apart and they bleed you out. But then if you play too much man-to-man, are you setting yourself up for explosives or something happens here? So, (Lions Defensive Coordinator Kelvin Sheppard) Shepp’s always going to balance that and we assess. But we’ll have a good plan for these guys going in.”
On his respect for players like Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield who is with his fourth team and playing well: “I mean I do. I respect the player he is, the person he is and really what he has overcome. I do. In that regard it is a lot like (Lions QB Jared) Goff. When there’s a lot of people or teams that told you that you’re not the guy and you hang in there, continue to work, improve your game, keep your confidence, don’t listen to that mess and you find the right fit. You find the right fit and then boy you take off and that’s really what he’s done. And I just think he’s resilient and I love that about him.”
On what he likes about Lions S Jammie Robinson and if he had eyes on him in the 2023 NFL Draft: “Yeah, we did. We liked him coming out and (Lions Executive Vice President and General Manager) Brad (Holmes) and I were talking to him. Brad’s kept an eye on him for a while, always kind of tracked where he’s at, when he’s been available. And so, to be able to poach him and get him for a few weeks here, it’ll be good to get a look at him. But we do like him. He’s aggressive, pretty tough kid, can play special teams. We think there’s nickel, safety flex – probably starting with safety. But we like him, yeah. We’ll get a peak at him.”
On what he hopes his players and assistant coaches draw from him and what it takes to maintain that: “I don’t know. No, look, I think when you’re in this business and it’s such a long season and to not get caught up in the immediate moment and just take it for what it is and try to be as consistent as you can every day, I’d like to believe that’s what they’ve drawn is it’s a new day, fix what needs to be fixed. And nothing’s as bad as it seems to be, nothing’s as good as it seems to be, just take it for what it is. I think that – hopefully – is what they draw from me, consistency.”
On what Lions CB Kendall Fuller can contribute to the team as a veteran: “Well he’s another one. This will be our first day with him at practice. And we know what he’s been able to do in this League, he’s a veteran player that has, he’s played a lot of football. So, he’s got some banked reps on him. He’s kind of like (Lions S) Jammie (Robinson). We’ll get eyes on him and see what he looks like. Is there a potential to take him? I can’t answer that right now. But at least it gives us another veteran guy we can look at.”
On if they will give Lions T Taylor Decker practice time this week: “We’d like to. Yeah, we’d like to. I think if we can get him going a little bit tomorrow, see if we can do that, we’ll do that. He’s feeling better, but we’ll see. I don’t see him practicing today though.”
LIONS QB JARED GOFF QUOTE SHEET
October 16, 2025
On his relationship with Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield: “Yeah, he’s a good friend and a ton of respect for him. I think we both kind of – I don’t want to speak for him but can recognize that there’s some dark days in that transition and coming out the other side of it for both of us. A lot of respect from my end for sure and I hope he’d say the same. But yeah, I’m a big fan of his and he’s done a great job.”
On how he and Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield became friends: “Just we’ve known each other for a handful of years now and seen each other out and whatnot and have been friends.”
On if he watches the growth Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield has had in his game: “Yeah, if I see it, I see it. He’s playing well and doing a good job and again, I’ve got a lot of respect for him.”
On the familiarity with the Buccaneers and the renewed rivalry over the last couple of years: “Sure, yeah. We’ve gotten each other, I don’t know, four or five times now in the last handful of years. And it feels like we’ve given them a good punch and they’ve given us a good punch. We’ve kind of gone back and forth in that way. And I think a lot of who they are is a lot of who we want to be too. And again, I’d hope they’d say the same thing about the respect they have for us, the respect we have for their team, how hard they play, how well they’re coached, the whole thing. It’s great. It’s a good, fun I guess rivalry, if you want to call it that and I think they’re a good team.”
On what it will take to beat the Buccaneers on Monday: “Yeah, they’re a really good team. They’re still really good on defense and obviously on offense doing a lot of good things. So, yeah, we’ve got our hands full and got to come ready to play.”
On what he likes best about what he and the offense are doing right now: “I mean last game there was some stuff to want back, for sure. I think previously – I think what we’re doing after the catch has been really good. At wideout and running back after the catch has been awesome. I think we’re protecting really well up front. We’re doing a lot of things well. At the same time though, there’s a ton of stuff to work on and we’re still working on those things.”
On what he most appreciates about how he is playing right now: “I’ve always tried to keep the ball in my guys’ hands and avoid sacks. Those two things, completion percentage and low sack numbers, is something I work on and something we’ve done a good job with up to this point.”
On how his game has grown playing against the blitz: “I don’t know. If the number says it’s grown, great. But I think I just get older, get better, you learn more, you see more and start to get rid of the ball a little bit quicker, you start to process things a little bit faster. I don’t know if I can put my finger on one thing other than us players are allowed to get better in this League and I think I’ve done that over the last 10 years.”
On if understanding the offense helps in his ability to play against the blitz: “Sure, yeah. No doubt. That’s part of it too is understanding the offense and being fully in grasp with the quick answers and the hot answers and what pressures are issues and that whole thing, for sure.”
On how much growth he has found in his later years of playing: “A ton. Yeah, a ton. I mean my later years, yeah. Yeah, for now, yes. A ton really. I mean I really have. You work every offseason to find that one percent and I feel like I’ve worked hard to try to find that every year and try to get better, improve on things. I feel like I have improved on some things and always looking to improve. And I think at my position in quarterback, you do have a little bit of a longer runway to continue to see things and get better and your physical prowess isn’t quite as important as you get older. It’s more mental and getting rid of the ball and being accurate and that whole thing. So, it’s stuff I work on and it’s paid dividends in the last few years.”
On how much of a boost it would be to get Lions T Taylor Decker back for this week’s game: “Yeah, it would be great. I know he’s working to get back and it would be awesome. He’s obviously a big piece for us offensively and I know he’s working.”
On if the Buccaneers look different on tape even though they have a lot of the same personnel from the last few years when he has played them: “Yeah, so some of it’s different, some of it’s the same. They’re ever-evolving, as is everyone else in the League. So, they’re changing things here and there and a lot of it’s the same too. But they’ve got really good players and a lot of times when those teams don’t change it’s because they believe in their players. And they have good reason to, they’ve got good players.”
