Dan Campbell knew what was being said on the outside. He even grappled with it himself.
With the Lions playing an essentially meaningless game against the 49ers before a monumental clash with the Vikings in the season finale, "There’s all these arguments about, what did this game really mean, because of next week," Campbell told his players in the locker room after the Lions' 40-34 win over the 49ers in which they played their starters from start to finish.
"I respect the f**k out of you guys!" Campbell said. "I respect the f**k out of how we roll the ball out and you guys just go out and compete. I can’t even put it into words, man. I cannot put it into words. I love the hell out of you guys."
Campbell went on to point out that the Lions finished 8-0 on the road this season, a franchise record, "which tells you, at its worst, we can go anywhere and win, gentlemen." The winner of the Lions-Vikings game Sunday night will claim the division, the No. 1 seed in the NFC and a first-round bye; the loser will slip to the No. 5 seed and have to go on the road as a wild card team with a 14-3 record.
Campbell loves it.
"Listen, you can’t ask for anything better, to be able to have the division and the 1 seed on the line, back at home. Guys, this is what it’s all about," he said. "This is why you’re in this profession, man. This is as good as it gets. We are so thankful for this opportunity. This is gonna be unbelievable. Appreciate you guys, man. That’s a hell of a job! That’s a hell of a ride, and we got one more."