Unlike most of his predecessors, Dan Campbell knows a thing or two about Detroit. He spent three seasons with the Lions and lived here for two years. He gets these fans because he's heard them.
"Hell, my first game here in '06 we're playing Seattle and I was blown away, I couldn't believe it. I mean, it's like you couldn't hear," Campbell recently told a group of Ford Motor Co. employees at a production plant near the Lions' headquarters in Allen Park. "That's on us to make it to where our fans will want to yell and they do want to be a part of it. So I get that, man.
"And I know we're in this all-talk phase, but man, I will do everything in my power and so will this staff, who by the way is a kick-ass staff. I believe in these guys with everything in my heart. We will get these (players) to where they will fight their ass off to the end, I know that. And we will try to put ourselves in the very best position to freaking win at the end of a game. That's the idea."
Campbell's visit to the plant was documented by the Lions as part of a behind-the-scenes look at the team's offseason called Inside the Den. During his conversation with those employees, he stressed that Detroit has a stronger heartbeat than its reputation suggests -- and that it will become an even greater city when the Lions build a winner. Maybe even a destination.
"This is a unique place. And anybody who's an outsider that looks outside in, the first thing they think about is what you shouldn't about Detroit, because they don't know. They don't know sh*t about it," Campbell said. "Adversity is just a word, that's all it is. It's not something that holds you back, it's not something that keeps you from doing what you want to do. That, to me, is this community. This is a place you want to raise kids. It's a place that, man, if we can ever create a winner, which is the whole idea, that's why I'm here. Excuse my language, f*ck the weather, you'll want to be here. You'll want to be here. I'm serious, man. Everybody (talks about) South Florida and you can go to Texas and LA, but I'm telling you right now, man: you build a winner here, people will want to be here."
