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Dan Campbell, Grit, & the Transformation of the Detroit Lions
Changing a losing culture is hard, but Dan Campbell has done it in Detroit with aggressiveness, relatability, and a lot of grit
In the first ten minutes of their pivotal Week 7 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings, the Detroit Lions came out flat. The offense committed a few penalties and couldn’t move the ball. A fake punt failed and led to an early Aaron Jones touchdown for Minnesota.
Considering the emotions of the previous week where the Lions had a huge win against Dallas but also lost their star pass rusher Aiden Hutchinson, a letdown would have been understandable. But that is not head coach Dan Campbell’s style.
Campbell, in his fourth year at the helm in Detroit, is coming off an NFC Championship Game appearance and has Lions fans daring to dream of the Super Bowl. It is a remarkable turnaround for a team that has been unable to get out of its own way and for a city that has desperately craved competence from their local football team.
Many coaches have come through Detroit and have failed to make an impact. Campbell, more than just winning, has done what many thought was impossible: change the culture of the Detroit Lions.
