LIONS HEAD COACH DAN CAMPBELL QUOTE SHEET
October 31, 2025
Opening Statement: “Red zone day getting ready for the Vikings. It’s been two good days for us of work. Guys are in a good place, we’ve got to finish strong today but like where we’re at.”
On the timing of Lions EDGE Aidan Hutchinson’s contract extension: “Yeah, I mean we – listen, we’ve wanted to get this thing done for a bit now and this didn’t just happen overnight. But we had all the conviction in the world that – (Lions EDGE Aidan Hutchinson) Hutch is here to stay, he’s everything we’re about. He’s a productive player in all areas, he’s smart, he’s instinctive and he plays all-out all the time from snap to whistle. And he’s just us. So, it was really a no-brainer for us. It was just making sure that both sides came to an agreement. But we’re fired up. So, yeah we would have liked to have this done a little earlier but hey, we got it done. And we’re excited. We’re excited.”
On what the trade deadline process looks like with Lions Executive Vice President and General Manager Brad Holmes bringing a potential player to his attention while focusing on planning for the next opponent: “Yeah, if there’s somebody he knows that he feels good about and that I would, then he’ll bring it. Otherwise, he doesn’t bog me down with any of that. And listen, that’s – the amount of time spent and players that are looked at between he and (Lions Assistant General Manager) Ray (Agnew Jr.) and that staff, you’d be shocked at the hours that goes in. So, they’re doing the leg work and if there’s somebody that he thinks is intriguing, he thinks the price could be right, it’s somebody maybe he fits us, it could be a need, then it comes to me like, ‘Hey, let’s check this out.’ But otherwise, he just kind of stays away from that, which is all good.”
On how many potential trade deadline players Lions Executive Vice President and General Manager Brad Holmes has brought to his attention: “I’m not telling you.”
On if he expects the team to be active at the trade deadline: “I mean look, I don’t. But that doesn’t mean we won’t. I mean he’s brought up a couple of things already. But I’m not – I’m so focused on the here and now and the roster we have in place getting these guys ready to go. I love where we’re at. I think the roster is healthy, I think it’s in a good position, I think we have depth. But like I say, he’s always looking to improve the roster. That’s one of his jobs and he does a hell of a job at it.”
On if he ever goes to Lions Executive Vice President and General Manager Brad Holmes to request a player be added at the roster: “Yeah, if I’ve got something on my mind and I feel – absolutely I would go there. And we stay in open communication with that all the time. So, yeah. That’s – I mean if I feel like there’s something that is eating away at me a little bit or maybe just a bit of a concern, sure I’ll bring that to his attention.”
On if Lions S Kerby Joseph will still need more time to return from injury: “Yeah, I don’t see Kerby playing this week. He’s going to need a little bit here. So, the negative is yeah I don’t think he’s going to play. The positive is he is getting better. He really is. It’s just going to take a minute here. So, that’s kind of where we’re at.”
On if the performance and success of drafted players is a reminder that re-signing them is a sustainable path the team is on: “Yeah, I do. I think that’s one of the things that (Lions Executive Vice President and General Manager) Brad (Holmes) and I talked about when we got here in ’21 was being competitive every year, year in and year out and sustaining that. How do you play at a high level, you compete at a high level and every year you’ve got a chance? And I think with the guys that we’ve drafted and that we’ve re-signed, there’s a reason why we’ve drafted them. Yes, they’re productive, they’re good players. But they fit us, they are to their core everything we’re about. Just the nature of the way they play the game, the love for the game, they’re pretty smart, they’re headsy, they’re aware, they’re resilient and they’ve got this ability. And it’s like, man OK. So, that’s the foundation of our team and as many of those guys as we can re-sign, we’re going to do it. That we think can help us until we run out of money, I guess.”
On how frequent matchups against NFC North teams like the Vikings forces him and the team to evolve: “Yeah, that’s a good question because it is. I mean the more you go against somebody, I mean there again this is number five with (Vikings Defensive Coordinator Brian) Flores and seven with (Vikings Head Coach Kevin) O’Connell, I guess. So, it is. I mean you’ve got to – it’s one of those where you’re constantly thinking, ‘Alright, this worked, you liked this. This is how they countered. Ope, they got us with this. I think this’ll get them. Yeah, but unless they’re thinking the same thing and then they’re going to.’ And so, you can sit there and play that little chess game a little bit if you’re – you have to be careful. But you do have to stay true to what you are but yet, you’ve got to keep it fresh, you’ve got to throw just enough curveballs in there to put them back on their heels on both sides of the ball – special teams as well. So, it’s a constant battle. I guess it’s a good problem to have. That means we’ve been intact for a while and then going against the same guys. But yeah, it’s a – that game never ends. You always have to evolve every time you play that team.”
On if Lions CB Terrion Arnold and Lions T Taylor Decker are trending in the right direction to play this weekend: “They do. Decker I don’t see practicing today, but I do see him playing. He had a good week. And TA I think is trending the right way right now. He’s looked pretty good in practice.”
On an injury update for Lions EDGE Josh Paschal and what he is dealing with: “Well it’s a back is what it is. And he is improving. We’re trying to be smart, we’re taking it as far as we can. He’s got a few more things to show us before we’re ready to open the window for him to practice. So, I’m hopeful three weeks, somewhere in there. I’m hopeful the end of November, maybe early December. But he is improving.”
On if he and his wife dressed up for team Halloween parties while he was a player and if they had a favorite costume: “We did. We dressed up a little bit. We had a few. Yeah, we had a few. Yeah, I answered this the other day. I was Marilyn Monroe one year, alright. That was a long time ago, but – and that wasn’t here. I’m sure you could find some old stuff. But anyway, we paired up pretty good. Let’s just put it that way. So, Holly’s the creative one. She always had pretty good ideas for stuff.”
On what costume his wife wore when he was dressed up as Marilyn Monroe: “Well actually that one, her sister came in. So, it was really more her and her sister than it was we were paired up. So, I was kind of odd one out. But I was Marilyn Monroe. She bought me the freaking dress, had the wig. So, and I actually had broken an ankle so I was on crutches too. So that was great.”
On being a good sport about the Marilyn Monroe costume: “Yeah, I guess so. Alcohol helps.”
On what candy his family is passing out at their house tonight for Halloween: “Well, it’ll be Reese’s. Love Reese’s – the butter cups, M&Ms, peanut M&Ms. That’s usually kind of been the staples. That’s where we go. It’s not the caramel apples or anything. So, that’s kind of what we give.”
