The Detroit Lions made a serious run at hiring Iowa State's Matt Campbell as their next head coach, according to a report.
The Lions apparently tried to lure Campbell away from the Cyclones with a lucrative offer that would have paid him $68.5 million over eight years, according to the Free Press. The offer is similar to the deal signed last offseason by Panthers head coach Matt Rhule, who arrived in Carolina after an impressive run with Baylor.
Campbell's stock has risen in recent years, particularly coming off a 2020 in which the Cyclones went 9-3, won the Big 12 regular-season title, and beat Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl.
The report sheds further light on the Lions' coaching search, which ended with the hiring of Dan Campbell. Campbell joked at his introductory news conference about the Lions' apparent interest in Iowa State's Campbell, Matt, and is it turns out, there was more than a little truth in his self-deprecating remark.
"Just in regards to the head coach search, how I ended up here, one of things would be that I told my agent, Rick Smith, I said make sure that they think I’m Matt Campbell, so I think that’s how this has really worked out great for me," Dan Campbell quipped, according to the Free Press.
The Lions' interest in Matt Campbell was widely reported. Lions executives were asked about it at Dan Campbell's press conference, but declined to comment.
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