LIONS HEAD COACH DAN CAMPBELL TRAINING CAMP DAY 14 QUOTE SHEET
August 14, 2025
Opening Statement: “Day two, did some good things, a number of things we got to clean up. But looking forward to this day, try to get a little bit better with an opponent that is somebody other than us, so that’s good.”
On if he gained confidence on how both sides of the ball are performing after yesterday’s practice: “I told the guys man, my focus was I want to make sure we’re all on the same page, that we come out of this and there’s clear communication. We don’t have these mental errors, ‘I thought, you thought, well who called this?’ That we were on point and that our fundamentals show up. The things that we do in individual, in group, in one-on-ones, they needed to show up against a different opponent and man, as a whole, I thought we did that. The coaching and the teaching I thought transferred yesterday and it’s got to do that again today.”
On what he told the team going into joint practices this year after fights broke out at Giants joint practices last year: “Yeah, we just kept it pretty clean, pretty simple. ‘Hey man, let’s get out and get some good work, and everybody keep your composure and let’s just play football man. Get back in the huddle and next play.’”
On the insurance that Lions EDGE Al-Quadin Muhammad provides for the team as a backup: “Muhammad’s having a really good camp, really good. He obviously started camp, he had that – just kind of that tweak, but since he’s been back, he’s kind of taken off. So, I would say that’s a good way to put it. He brings some security to us, he’s been a steady hand for us and he is having a good camp for us. Guy plays hard, he’s tough, he’s relentless, plays hard, he’s gotten better at the run game setting edges and he’s gotten a little bit of that rush, can get an edge and it’s high effort too. So, glad he’s with us.”
On Lions LB Zach Cunningham’s performance this training camp: “He’s playing really well. He’s another guy who’s having a good camp. He had probably three or four just in the run game alone where he’s playing downhill. (Lions Linebackers Coach Shaun Dion Hamilton) Ham’s done a good job with those guys, (Lions Defensive Coordinator Kelvin Sheppard) Shep teaches, we play downhill in the run game with our backers, that’s certainly showed. He’s just a good athlete, he can run, he’s got length. I like that linebacker room, we got some good guys, and it’s highly competitive and I think those guys are working together really well.”
On Lions LB Jack Campbell’s ownership of the defense: “Yeah, just what I expected, I think what we all expect. Jack’s taken another step and another year of growth. And I think probably the biggest is, we know the physical aspect of this for him and the guy doesn’t get tired and if he does, you wouldn’t know it. Just the way he plays, always going for the football. He can play one step ahead because he can key and diagnose pretty quick. Just his nature of where he knows now, he’s kind of taken that next step – just to the situation that we’re in. He knows what’s coming, he knows what (Lions Defensive Coordinator Kelvin Sheppard) Shep is probably going to call, or wants to call, if we get in some of those and that’s awesome. That’s really good to see, he’s doing a great job.”
On what he saw from the offense yesterday: “Well, look, we were all on the same page. I kind of – what I started with here, man it was clear, there was clear communication, where are we all going protection wise, run game. I thought we fit the protections, we fit the run game well. The landmarks, the tracks, the backs were really good. Our perimeter blocking was outstanding by the receivers – really has been all camp, and (Lions QB Jared) Goff was on fire. Goff looked good and that’s what he is. So, we were just were clicking pretty good, and that’s what we expect. That’s what we expect.”
On having Lions T Taylor Decker return and the performance of the offensive line: “It’s great to have Decker back. I mean it’s great. He’s only been back a few days of football football and he looks pretty good man, and it just makes us run that much better. So, it’s good to have him back. That unit I feel like over the last couple of days has really begun to trim the right way, they’re kind of playing together. I thought – I have to be careful, I don’t want to – (Lions OL) Tate Ratledge, I thought looked like a starting NFL guard yesterday, which fires me up. So, it’s early, that’s step one, but the kid’s getting better.”
On Lions OL Tate Ratledge’s play recently: “What did you think? Did you watch him? I thought, you watch him in protection, some of the twists that he was able to pass to anticipate was pretty good for a young guy. I just thought he and (Lions T) Penei (Sewell) were working at a high level in some of these combination blocks and it looked like the game slowed down for him a little bit yesterday and it’s early, but that’s a step in the right direction certainly.”
On the plan for Lions CB Terrion Arnold to return to practice: “Yeah, the plan is get him in some individual today, get him in some group, and then give him a couple of these team reps and just kind of see where it is. Just work him back in slowly, but yeah, we do see him out there.”
On injury updates for Lions WR Kalif Raymond: “Good, good. Some of those – we had a couple of those guys had some cramps. So, he’s good. Probably the guy – (Lions TE Sam) LaPorta will be down, it’s not major but he will miss a little bit of time here. We’re pretty good though.”
On the depth of the running back room with Lions RB Jacob Saylors and Lions RB Deon Jackson fighting for practice squad spots: “Well, we take it as it comes, but they’re no different than anybody else. We got our eye on those guys. So, we try to develop and evaluate anybody that comes in here and told those guys just that. Certainly, Saylors has been here a few more days than Jackson, but we kind of like those guys. I thought what Saylors did the other day was pretty headsy and he’s kind of a crafty back and there’s something to be said about that. Smart guy, understands ball, really got a crash course on what we were doing and really didn’t have any MAs, which is pretty impressive. I’m always impressed with those guys that step right in the door and know what to do, that’s hard and that tells you something. So, you want to get noticed, do that. But yeah, we’re always keeping our eyes open, we’re going to take the best guys for us – roster and the practice squad positions.”
On the growth of Lions WR Ronnie Bell throughout the preseason: “Yeah, he’s pretty steady, he is a pretty smart guy, and because of that, he mentally knows the positions, and we got down there – we had lost a few guys, and so we needed him, and I thought he stepped in there and knew what to do. So, look he puts the work in. You see his blocking, he’ll block on the perimeter, and he’s another guy that’s kind of a crafty receiver. So, he’s been pretty dependable for us in the preseason here and training camp.”
On if he is surprised by the continual production of Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown: “Nothing surprises me about him, it just doesn’t because that guy, he’s got the ability, but his work ethic and the way he is wired, he’s got this can-do, won’t-lose, won’t-miss, give it to me in criticals. So no, I’m not surprised. I thought he was outstanding yesterday, and I think he can be even better, I do.”
