More good signs for Jack Campbell: 'We know things are headed in the right direction'

Slowly but surely, Jack Campbell's condition is improving. That's the message being relayed from the doctors to the Lions to Dan Campbell down to his players.

"The good news is," Dan Campbell said Tuesday on 97.1 The Ticket, "he is improving."

Later that morning, Jared Goff said on 97.1 The Ticket that "the positive updates are great, and we know that things are headed in the right direction right now, and hoping for the best for him."

The Lions said Monday afternoon that "preliminary indications are positive" after Jack Campbell was carted off the field strapped to a backboard after lying facedown and motionless on the turf for several minutes following a seemingly routine tackle in the Lions' win over the Vikings on Sunday.

He was transported to a local hospital with a neck injury, where he continues "to rest and recover," per the Lions.

Aidan Hutchinson said Tuesday morning on 97.1 The Ticket, "We’re all praying for Jack in this time and the news being positive today is great. We're all keeping him in mind right now."

Jack Campbell was breathing and alert when he was carted off the field, Dan Campbell confirmed in his post-game radio interview on Sunday. Regaining feeling and movement in his extremities would be the natural next step. The news that he's improving suggests that, on some level, that process has begun.

While the Lions have yet to offer any specific details on that front, they're likely proceeding with extreme caution in such a fluid situation. They're better off waiting to share good news until it's definitive than sharing it prematurely. With neck injuries like Campbell's, it can take several days for the swelling around the trauma to subside and reveal a clearer picture of the effects.

Dan Campbell also said Monday that he visited Jack, Jack's parents and Jack's wife in the hospital Sunday night and that "everybody was in good spirits." He said the visit was "positive" and the family is focused on the recovery and choosing to view the injury as "a small setback."

That would likewise suggest that the worst outcome here has been avoided.

As for how the rest of the players are handling it, Dan Campbell said Tuesday that "the thought of him and knowing he’s doing better -- I've kept the captains up to date and they’ve let the other guys know -- is good news. I think that helps everybody just get a better handle on all this."

"And once you know that, then you gotta move on for yourself, too, in that moment. Because if you let things wonder and you drift and you worry a little and then you're trying to play or prepare, that’s when bad things can happen to you because you're not all-in on what you need to be doing," Campbell said. "That’s why it's important that you get back to your own business."

Tuesday is the players' day off. Dan Campbell said he plans to address the situation with them first thing on Wednesday -- "acknowledge it and understand what it is " -- and then turn their attention toward preparing for the Dolphins.

"It’s not easy because he’s going to always be on our minds over here. But we also got a job to do and this is what we’re tasked with," Campbell said. "There’s a reason why we go through all of this stuff, and it’s to get to where we want to go collectively as a team. Adversity comes in all shapes and sizes, and we gotta overcome everything that comes our way.

"So we gotta reload, lock in. This Miami team is hungry, they play hard, and everybody they’ve played they’ve given fits to, so we know what we’re about to face here."

And they know that Jack Campbell is steadily improving.