LIONS HEAD COACH DAN CAMPBELL QUOTE SHEET
December 20, 2024
On the status of Lions C Frank Ragnow and the rest of the offensive line: “Yeah, Frank will be out there today, he’s good, and then we’ll probably hold (Lions OL Graham Glasgow) out again, he’s got a couple of things going on, just trying to get him to recover here a little bit, but I don’t see him practicing, so I’ll know a lot more this afternoon with him.”
On an update for Lions RB David Montgomery’s injury and the possibility of him returning in the postseason: “No, I mean, that’s – I guess whatever has been put out there is what it is. That’s optimistic with a couple of doctors that he saw, the last two. So, I think we may see where this thing goes. We’ve still got a decision to make because even if that is the case it’s a matter of, do you put him on IR, do you see how fast he can come back from it, all that. But it certainly sounds more optimistic, that’s probably the best way to say it.”
On if placing players on Reserve/Injured requires them to miss the same amount of games if a team has a first-round playoff bye: “It’s a good question, I believe it’s still four. I believe it is still four and I think it’s – I’ll know more here in a little bit, but I think it’s a true four weeks, not four games.”
On if he is surer about the possible return of Lions CB Carlton Davis III: “Yeah, I’d say nothing has changed as of right now. It doesn’t look optimistic to get him back. Doesn’t mean it won’t, but it just – I don’t foresee that right now.”
On how far he would trust Lions K Jake Bates to convert from on a free kick given the Chargers’ free kick on Thursday: “Yeah, I mean, that’s a good question. You would have that option with the guy that we have because he does have the leg. I mean, that’s tough to say exactly where you would – right now, where I would be comfortable saying, ‘Let’s swing at it.’ But it is – it’s a free kick and those are so rare when they come up because they need to be pinned, you’ve got to be pinned way back there, you get the fair catch, ‘OK, well, do you have the distance to get there?’ And we do have a kicker that’s got a pretty good leg, so, I mean, obviously minus territory, you can do it. Depends on how far in minus territory, but that’s such a rare thing for it to come up, and it was – it’s actually good because it’s one of those you talk about every once in a while, one of those game situations, but they don’t ever come up. I mean we’ve finally got fresh tape to be able to show the guys, ‘Hey, this can happen.’ So, anyway, it was interesting.”
On how much the weather can be symbolic of getting back to how the team wants to play: “Yeah, I mean, I think it’s good for us just to get back on the road. It’s been good to be home, but let’s go, let’s get out, and it’s just us out there and, to your point, in the elements. I’ve liked our practices, we’ve been outside the last two days, we’ll go out again today, and those guys are pretty energized. It brings a different level of juice to those guys outside. The bigs love it, we’ve got a lot of skill out there that are running around that enjoy it too. But yeah, I think that it fits us very well and I think it’ll be good for us out there.”
On Chargers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh saying that the free kick is his favorite rule and that he has been trying to work one in: “Well, I think he had another one, so he’s on it now.”
On if there are any unusual rules that he likes: “I mean, not really. I mean, that’s – because I think what’s hard is, some of these little things that could come up, by the time you practice – is it worth investing in the work that may show up once every 20 years, and if you do, how much? And so, I think that’s where it gets a little hard, so there are some quirky things that I think are interesting, but I just think you’ve got to be careful with how much time you invest in those things. It was good to see that one though because it is a possibility. Look, that was one of the first things (former Head) Coach (Bill) Parcells gave us when a player would go in because, boy, he was big on game situations, and that was one of the first ones was – and I had never even heard of it, so it was pretty good.”
On if they will have Lions QB Jared Goff do a drop kick: “No, I don’t see that. I don’t see that, I think we’ll stay away from those.”
On if Lions S Ifeatu Melifonwu may play on Sunday: “Yeah, I mean, so much of this was about getting his legs back under him, getting him comfortable this week. We’re not closed to that, I’m not closed to that, I just – he’s gotten a little better every day and he’ll go out there today and practice and we’re working him in some stuff – just see where he’s at. But it’s good to have him back and it’s good to see him out there, functioning, working the position, and so that’s a good thing.”
On where Lions CB Emmanuel Moseley is in his recovery and status: “Good, this is the best week he’s had since he’s come back from the injury. I just think he looks so much more comfortable, he’s moving around well, and it’s been really two great days for him.”
On how he prepares the players for the mental challenge of playing aggressively: “I think you put them in it, and we’ve been doing that now going on four years, really. And it’s like anything else, it’s baby steps. I mean, you’ve just – you’ve got to work your way to it and you’ve got to gain a confidence, and the only way you gain confidence in those situations is by being under fire and doing it in real time, so you start it in practice, you begin to figure out who you can depend on, who’s going to show up for you in crunch time, and then you get in the games and you – those guys start making plays. I mean, you can see where (Lions QB Jared) Goff’s gone now and, man, our backs, (Lions RB) David Montgomery, (Lions RB Jahmyr) Gibbs, (Lions WR Amon-Ra) St. Brown, the whole O-line, really. So, it’s just – those guys have done a really good job of embracing it, and they’re the ones who make it come to life, they really do. And so, for them, it’s the next down, it’s not, ‘Oh crap, this is fourth down.’ It’s, ‘This is the next down in front of us, so we’re trying to convert for a first down or a touchdown.’”
On if it is good to have Lions LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin returning to practice: “Yeah, really good to get him back out there. Yesterday was his first day, and so he’s another one – let’s just – work yourself back into practice, and so we had him do a little bit of scout team, he did some individual, and that’s the first step, that was good to see. I don’t see him playing this week, but that was good.”
On how comfortable he is having Lions OL Christian Mahogany play this week: “Yeah, comfortable. I would say we’re working he and (Lions G Kayode Awosika) Yode on both of those and working both sides, and (Lions OL Michael) Niese has worked a little bit of right guard for us, too. But those two we’re really comfortable with.”
