Lions head coach Dan Campbell explains how he made an impressive staff

After the Detroit Lions hired Dan Campbell as their next head coach, the biggest concern among many was the staff he would train around him. Rather or not, Campbell’s perception was that he was not a schematic coach and therefore needed bright minds to surround himself with if the Lions had a chance to follow today’s NFL.

He’s already silenced many of those skeptics by hiring a staff full of coaches that even some national experts praise:

When Lions team president Rod Wood introduced Campbell to the media a few weeks ago, he said part of the reason he was hired was because Saints general manager Mickey Loomis, had told Wood that “the coaches were going to go to Detroit and wanted to be there. its staff.

This appears to have been the case, indeed. But how did Campbell do this?

In a pair of one-on-one interviews with local media, Campbell explained his process.

First, it was about criteria, which Campbell simplified into two essential assets: a top-notch coach and a top-notch person. It couldn’t be one or the other. It had to be both.

“I swore from top to bottom that I was not going, if I took this seat again, I refused, even though she is an exceptional person, whom I know a lot, an exceptional person who coaches, but he is is an average trainer, I don’t, ”Campbell told the Detroit News. “This is how you create average players. They would be top notch people who were top trainers, in all areas.

And while there have been a few hires from Campbell’s personal history – defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn coached with him in New Orleans, special teams coordinator Dave Fipp rode him in Miami – the new Lions head coach made sure he was going out. its own bubble.

“I refused to hire my friends who are average coaches or the guy I need but who is an average coach but an exceptional human being because that’s how you get to be average,” Campbell told ESPN. .

It became evident that Campbell favored former NFL players on his coaching staff. Running backs coach Duce Staley, offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn, Glenn and former regime offensive coordinator Hank Fraley have all had long playing careers. But this trend in hiring just happens to be a coincidence, according to Campbell.

“I didn’t write ‘I’m just getting old players’ or’ Find as many (of) former players as possible, ‘Campbell told Detroit News.’ I really wasn’t involved in that process. Honestly, I didn’t think of it that way.

Regardless of his thought process, the Lions undoubtedly left their mark on some coaches who were in high demand elsewhere. Fraley interviewed two other teams before choosing to stay in Detroit. Glenn was a coach who scored a head coach interview with the Jets just weeks before the Lions hired him. And Duce Staley was one of the most coveted coaches after asking the Eagles for permission to leave after their own coaching changes. Campbell jumped up immediately.

“Next thing I know,” someone said, “looks like Duce might come out of there, like Chicago, so I’m like, ‘Hey, Duce. Duce, I thought you were staying, ”Campbell told ESPN. “So I chased him and he was totally okay with it. He wanted to be here. He wanted to be something special.

The Lions coaching staff look solid on paper, and Detroit’s process looks a lot deeper than in previous seasons. We’ll see if that ultimately translates into victories on the pitch.