Dan Campbell kicked off the first practice of training camp in his first season as head coach of the Lions by doing up-downs with his defense. A small gesture that could have a big impact in the locker room.
"For the players, it just shows that he’ll get in the grind, he’ll get on the ground too," said veteran D-lineman Michael Brockers. "You gain a lot of respect for a guy that can get on this turf and do the same exercises as you, because some of the players wonder, like, 'Man, if you was doing this what would happen?'
"For a coach to get down there and show you, 'OK, I’m about this life,' we definitely gained a lot of respect for him."
If Matt Patricia arrived in Detroit with respect -- a couple Super Bowl rings in New England will do that -- it didn't take him long to lose it. He preached principles like timeliness and toughness that he chose to ignore. He showed little respect to his players, and his defenses commanded none from opposing teams. He squeezed the fun out of football, snuffed the spirit out of his team and the Lions limped through three straight last-place seasons. You remember.
Former Lions running back Kerryon Johnson, a second-round pick of the old regime in 2018, is quick with a laugh. So it was noteworthy this offseason when Johnson said he didn't laugh once during three years of practices under Patricia. The air is lighter under Campbell, like a weight has been lifted.
"The energy out here is a lot different," running back D'Andre Swift said Wednesday. "Guys smiling, having fun. People kind of forget to have fun playing this game, playing a kid's game. Can't ever forget to have fun. Everybody is out there having a good time, doing what they love."
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Like Brockers, Romeo Okwara appreciated Campbell sweating with the defense to kick off practice. Like Swift, he sensed the team's spike in energy on the first day of a new era. Okwara, the first big signing of the new regime, a cornerstone of the Lions' future, said there's "absolutely" a different vibe this year in Detroit.
"Having fun out here is the most important thing," he said. "We grew up playing this game because it was fun and you can’t really lose sight of that. It’s gonna be tough, it’ll definitely be a grind through camp. But that’s how you kind of gotta do it – just have fun out here."
Look, we'll see how long the fun lasts. There's nothing fun about losing, and the Lions aren't expected to win much in Campbell's first season. But they'll fight for him, and that can go a long way toward forging an identity. An identity can eventually forge a winner. Campbell is one of eight coaches on this staff who played in the NFL, including defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn. He was doing up-downs Wednesday, too, and "talking some trash" to his players to fire them up.
"He gets in that huddle and he said something about somebody was crying today," Brockers said with a laugh. "I love it, I love it. When he brings that energy a lot of guys in the huddle are a little tired, but when you hear that you’re like, 'OK, we’re pumped up. Coach is behind us, let’s go."
The Lions have a lot in front of them. They have a long way to go. If there are pieces to build around like Okwara and Swift, there are so many more to add. But they have a leader in their new head coach, something they lacked in their old one. Games and seasons aren't won in training camp, but Patricia proved that's where they could be lost. He beat his players down and they never recovered. The air was stagnant upon his departure. Campbell is breathing some life back into the Lions, one day, one practice, one up-down at a time.
"He’s doing it the right way," said Brockers. "A lot of guys come into this position and get that power and it kind of overwhelms them. He's coming in and it’s all about the team. He built a great coaching staff, so he’s starting on the right track. And everybody is buying in. You can see right now, a lot of players, a lot of young players are buying in because he came in with the right attitude. He expects a lot from us, but at the same time he understands as a player what this grind is all about."