Getty Dan Campbell talks with Jared Goff during a Lions game in 2021.
The Detroit Lions may have had a frustrating year in terms of record, but beyond that, the team was able to build in a big way for what could figure to be a much better future on the field.
That fact wasn’t lost on many who watched the Lions closely, and even those who only seemed to tune in from time to time that take a more national approach. Rich Eisen from the NFL Network could be counted as such a person, and he seemed to be very impressed with the Lions from what he saw late in the season.
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As Eisen explained on an episode of The Rich Eisen Show while talking to a caller, he believes the best thing about the 2021 Lions was their willingness to give anyone a chance to play a big role for them, whether a rookie player or another youngster off the street. As Eisen said, it was fun to watch that mindset and the fight of the Lions as well as the season played out.
“To me, you know what I think the neat identity of the Lions was this year? Anybody can play. Anybody can play, come one, come all,” Eisen said on the show. “You want to compete? Know you’ve got an opportunity here and we don’t care what draft choice you were or how many teams that you’ve bounced around or what practice squad you’ve been on. Man, that kid (Amon-Ra) St. Brown was a perfect example of it and (Josh) Reynolds and a whole bunch of other players. Yes, I know the Packers sat their starters and they didn’t need the (final) game, but that was just fun to watch them do what they did. They’ll just come at you and I know everyone made fun of his press conference with the kneecaps and hunks of other teams, they did it. They kept taking it out of you. They didn’t quit. They didn’t quit ever, even when they were getting blown out. They didn’t come back and quit the next week.”
The Lions took pride in the opportunity they provided to young players as well as the constant fight that they showed, and look poised to keep operating that way well into the future. Obviously, as Eisen proves in his commentary, it was not unnoticed by those in the NFL community this season at all.
Eisen Believes Jared Goff Quarterbacks Lions in 2022
In terms of the future, Eisen has a bold prediction for the Lions and it involves the quarterback position. Offseason talk has centered around whether or not the Lions will stick with Jared Goff. Most believe Goff will be the guy for the team in the end, but that has been called into question given the possibility exists for the team to add someone early in the draft. In the end, though, Eisen sees the Lions sticking with Goff for 2022.
Late in the discussion, Eisen was asked point-blank about whether Goff was the guy for the team next season. As he said, he believes it to be the case.
“It’s a great question. I think so. I think he is,” Eisen explained on the show.
In the end, Goff found a way to finish the 2021 season in solid fashion and may have more than earned the starter role. After Thanksgiving, Goff has been on relative fire as statistics go at quarterback when he has played. He finished the year by throwing 11 touchdowns to just 2 interceptions while going off for 1,136 yards. Goff has also claimed elusive awards for a Lions quarterback such as NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors as well as FedEx Air Player of the Week award.
Those facts might make him impossible to ignore as the team’s quarterback in 2022, which is something Eisen sounds as if he would agree with.
Campbell’s Final Speech Showed Everyone Lions’ Spirit
Perhaps a big reason so many folks believe in Campbell and what he is doing with Detroit revolves around the way the coach has never shied away from showing his personality. He very clearly used his ability to motivate to push the 2021 Lions down the stretch. After the season finale, Campbell gave a speech, and also as usual, his statement was very motivational for the team. After the big win, Campbell was fired up not only for the present, but for the future as well, displaying the traits so many seem to love about him.
As Campbell explained, he believes the team is heading in the right direction to have success. Here’s a look at the celebration video clip posted by the Lions:
Better than gold!
“Gentlemen I tell you what, you took the hard road one more time, you sure did. You guys earned that freaking win man. You earned it,” Campbell said. “You went out there and made the plays you had to make and we really complimented each other well when we needed it. We tried the old trickery on the fake punt, we don’t get it (but) defense you come out, make a stand and then we take it all the way down the field offense. I mean there were so many things that happened this game that make you proud as a coach where you put Jonah (Jackson) in center. He played center. I respect the hell out of that. You guys that have stood in there and just banged away man, I respect the hell out of that. I always will. There’s a place for you on this team when you produce and you lay it on the line because that stuff man, that’s better than gold man. It’s better than gold. That’s where champions are born and made. You guys made me proud that we are now springboarding. We are springboarding and we have by the way, already started this about three or four weeks ago. We know what we’re capable of, and man, when we get the off-season running we’re going. We’re going places because we want to go places and we know the formula.”
The Lions do seem to be going places, and if that is the case, they might owe it all to their approach in the end.
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