LIONS HEAD COACH DAN CAMPBELL TRAINING CAMP DAY 8 QUOTE SHEET
July 29, 2025
Opening Statement: “So, this is good. This will be our first scrimmage that we will have in camp here. Most of it will be focused to the group of guys that I don’t see playing in a couple of days for the Chargers, so we’re really going to get them a number of reps here, get them some good intensity. And the other guys will still practice, it just won’t be as much as these guys because we know they’re getting ready for the game, but also they need practice as well. This will be good, it’ll be competitive. First chance to get a pretty good dose without it being scripted. Here we go, man. Spot it where it lies and this is the situation, the scenario and this is just going to be good for us as a staff and for the players. So, excited about today.”
On what he wants to see from Lions QB Kyle Allen and Lions QB Hendon Hooker during the preseason game against the Chargers on Thursday and what will make him think their performance was good: “Make the right decisions. Don’t try to do anything flashy, don’t try to make plays, you just do what you’re asked to do and wherever the defense dictates that the ball should go, that’s where it should go and then let those guys make a play. If it’s supposed to go down to the back, put it to the back, he’s got to make a play and we’ll see what happens. Even if that means we’ve got to punt, that’s OK, you just do what you’re asked to do, run the offense, stay cool, stay calm, stay collected, run that huddle, make sure there’s clear communication and that’s all I’m looking for. It’s all I care about.”
On whether or not he has any more clarity on who will be starting at the center position: “Look, we just finished two days with (Lions OL) Graham (Glasgow) back at center, in pads, and it’s looked pretty good. It’s looked pretty dang good. I think everyday that it looks pretty dang good, it gets a little clearer, so it’s good to have him in there. And look, this is good for (Lions OL) Tate (Ratledge) too to get these right guard reps, so we’re kind of holding tight right now.”
On if Lions OL Tate Ratledge will be playing in the preseason game against the Chargers on Thursday: “He could. He could. I don’t think I’m going to play Tate or (Lions DL Tyleik Williams) Leik this game. I kind of decided maybe – we talked about it as a staff and it’s like, ‘Why don’t we just wait? Maybe play him in Atlanta?’ So I think we’ll hold tight, make sure they get plenty of reps out here.”
On what injury Lions S Kerby Joseph is dealing with and what the timetable for his return is: “Yeah, Kerby it’s not major, he just had a little bit of a knee irritation. He’ll be good. We’re hoping to get him back Saturday.”
On what he thinks of the body of work that Lions S Morice Norris has put in during his second training camp: “Well, look, he’s a year older, he’s another year developed. I think some of this is – which is good to see. And look, we don’t have to worry about the aggressiveness in his style of play, it’s more now when the bullets are flying, are you so aggressive that you’re not doing your job? More so than the other stuff, it’s like stay focused on this is your gap, this is where you’ve got to get and here’s how you’ve got to get there and what coverage you’re in. And so it’s just staying focused enough to where reduce the aggressiveness so that you can stay focused on your job at hand. That’s the next step for him.”
On the opportunity that the young EDGE players like Lions EDGE Nate Lynn have this preseason: “Great opportunity. It’s a great opportunity for those guys to go in and show what they’re able to do. Now, I’m going to be the first one to say, no different than what we just talked about with – you asked about the quarterbacks. I’d say that if you’re going to go make your plays and I’m going to go get all these sacks and you’re rushing high and behind the quarterback, I don’t even see it. It’s not even worth talking about anymore. It’s not worth it. But if you do what you’re asked to do and what (Lions Run Game Coordinator/Defensive Line Coach) Kacy (Rodgers)’s teaching you to do and (Lions Defensive Coordinator Kelvin Sheppard) Shep, and you set it up and you push the quarterback and you’re even with him and you crush it or you make a move there, great. But if we’re just going to run behind the quarterback, no that does nothing. But yes these guys, they’ve got a great opportunity to showcase what they can do and play within the defense and show their worth.”
On if he is interested in how the new kickoff looks with Lions K Jake Bates: “Yeah. (Lions Special Teams Coordinator Dave) Fipp and I are looking forward to this. This will be pretty fun to see what it is going to look like and kind of watch our guys out there block it up, but also cover down on it. And then what they do, what the Chargers do too. So yeah, this is good. It’s kind of your first exposure to it, so we’re excited.”
On if he feels that he has more ability to utilize the vertical passing game with the receivers room that he has this year: “I mean, yeah. Look, when you think about the growth of (Lions WR Jameson Williams) Jamo, (Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown) Saint being Saint, (Lions WR Kalif Raymond) Leaf’s got speed, (Lions WR) Tim Patrick is a big man, we kind of like this (Lions WR Isaac) TeSlaa, he’s got speed and length, (Lions WR Dominic) Lovett is showing the ability to move a little bit here and get downfield. Yeah, you do. And then it’s about yeah, we can get downfield and we can create separation here and we can get width and we can get depth into the defense. Now, it’s about making those plays, making the throw to give the receiver a chance and then the receiver making a play. That’s why you’ve seen a ton of these go’s and fades and we’re just trying to douse them right now and get comfortable with it from the quarterbacks to the receivers and making plays. So yes, we have that ability.”
On how Lions Running Backs Coach Tashard Choice has shown him that he can be the guy to get the best out of Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs: “Choice is somebody that – he’s been on my radar for a long time. I want to say going on two years now, two or three years. There was a chance, I thought I was going to lose (former Lions Running Backs Coach) Duce (Staley) after the second year and so he’s somebody that was on my radar but it’s just that the timing wasn’t right. And then you kind of keep tabs on him, you watch him, everywhere he’s been – certainly he’s been at Texas now – you look at the backs that come out of there and what they’re doing and the way they’re coached. He just understands how to teach, how to coach, how to motivate and so the timing was right. And I bring this up again, when you lose a guy like Duce, to fill that void is hard. You’ve got to find the right guy. If you don’t, those guys in that room are going to start looking for somebody else to help them, even though they’ve got a position coach. Fortunate to get (Lions Assistant Head Coach/Wide Receivers Coach) Scottie Montgomery, right. OK, well now Scottie, move him to receivers, well you’ve got to fill that void again and that’s not easy. So, I feel good about Choice, he’s doing an excellent job, he’s a hell of a teacher, coach, enthusiastic and those guys I think are excited about it too. He’s doing a heck of a job.”
On if there is a benefit to Lions EDGE Ahmed Hassanein slowing down a little and being more intentional with what he does: “Well, I think you’re always coaching the, ‘Hey man, don’t get to the point where you’re so out of control that you’re not able to make that transition into doing your job,’ whether it is upfield or it’s a counter. But I bring this back again, you would much rather pull back on guys than have to try to prod them and push them and, ‘Hey man, quit being so conservative.’ And so, we can coach backwards off of that. Love the effort, love his enthusiasm. And he is a sponge, he wants to know, he really does and he tries to take what he’s being told, he tries to think about it and take it to the field and grow. And he really is improving. He’s improving.”
On if Lions EDGE Josh Paschal is still on track to return from injury early in the regular season and if he will be able to play in games immediately: “I think when he gets back, we’re going to need to get him some practice reps. So I think we’re hoping early September we get him in practice and I think he’s going to need a couple of weeks to practice before we can expect him to play for us. So, I don’t really know then, but right now he’s still on schedule to hopefully be ready. He’s on schedule to be ready for early September to start practicing.”
On if he has recollections of former NFL tight end Antonio Gates and his deservedness of being inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame: “Well, yeah, I mean, what an unbelievable player. I mean this dude, he changed the game, he really did. I mean he and (former NFL tight end Tony) Gonzalez kind of changed the way tight ends were perceived and the way they were used. And so, for him to come in really a basketball guy nobody knew much about, and watch him grow in (former Chargers Head Coach) Norv Turner’s offense in the way they used him at the beginning. And then, he was just so dynamic. I think for all that everybody sees and the whole reason he’s in the Hall of Fame, it’s the numbers, it’s the flash, it’s all this stuff that he did, but people don’t, especially in those first eight years or whatever, he was a hell of a blocker. They ran the hell out of power now, and he’s blocking defensive ends and manhandling them. So this guy really was an all-around tight end, a big man that could move his feet, jump balls, cuts and then the power to block. He was a legit player. Happy for him. And I just wanted to make that known because sometimes it doesn’t always come out that way, he did it all.”
On if the team will attend the Hall of Fame induction ceremony: “We are not. We’re not planning on going.”
