On Wednesday, the Detroit Lions named former New Orleans Saints assistant head coach and tight end coach Dan Campbell as the 30th head coach of the franchise. Campbell and the Lions came to terms on a six-year contract.
If the name Dan Campbell is familiar to Lions fans, he played for the Lions in his last three years in Detroit from 2006-08. The 44-year-old from Clifton, TX, played nineteen games for the Lions targeted 34 times with 23 receptions, 330-yards, and four touchdowns.
Before coming to Detroit, he played for both the New York Giants and the Dallas Cowboys in his ten-year career. His record playing for the Giants, Cowboys, and Lions totaled 114 games, targeted 143 times with 91 receptions for 934-yards, and eleven touchdowns.
Lions principal owner Sheila Ford released a statement on adding Campbell, saying, “With more than 20 years of experience as both a coach and player in the National Football League, Dan knows the rigors of professional football and what it takes to be successful. He will help promote the culture we want to establish across our organization, while also bringing with him high energy, a respect for the game, and an identity with which everyone can align themselves.”
The Lions will have five picks, including the seventh overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. In 2021, The Lions will play the AFC North, NFC West, NFC North, and the Philadelphia Eagles.