Hall of Fame coach Bill Parcells, whose only stint as a player in the NFL came with the Lions in 1964, is one of Dan Campbell's most valued mentors. He coached Campbell for four seasons on the Cowboys and molded the way he sees the game offensively. Parcells is one of the main reasons Campbell would get into coaching down the line.
After Campbell's Lions reached the NFC championship game by beating the Buccaneers last Sunday, Parcells sent his former player a two-word text: "Congratulations. Shoes."
Shoes? Yes, Campbell confirmed: shoes.
"Did you watch the game the other night, San Francisco-Green Bay? All the slips, the falls, everything," Campbell explained Thursday as the Lions prepare to play in San Francisco themselves. "That’s Coach Parcells. Classic. And he’s right. He’ll always give you some substance.”
Parcells' point was simple: be prepared for a slick field after players struggled to keep their feet at Levi's Stadium in last week's 49ers-Packers game. (Even if Sunday's weather in Santa Clara calls for clear skies and sunshine.) Pack all the cleats you might need, because who wants to miss out on a trip to the Super Bowl because of the wrong pair of shoes?
Lions left tackle Taylor Decker got the message, saying on Wednesday that "we’ll have conversations about making sure you bring all possible footwear you might want to wear, and testing it out before the game in the conditions."