The Detroit Lions are rolling right now, but they haven’t forgotten about their defensive captain.
Detroit beat the New England Patriots 35-10 at Munich’s Allianz Arena on Sunday. The victory stretched its winning streak to five games and moved the team to 7-2.
Quarterback Jared Goff threw for 303 yards and three touchdowns, and wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown scored twice in his mother’s home country. However, the most meaningful update after the game had nothing to do with football.
Head coach Dan Campbell revealed what he told linebacker Jack Campbell, who suffered a horrific neck injury a few weeks ago, before Sunday’s game. The game plan never came up.
Dan Campbell Reveals What He Told Jack Campbell
The All-Pro linebacker has been out since he suffered a scary neck injury in the Lions’ 19-15 win over the Minnesota Vikings on Nov. 1. But according to Dan Campbell, he’s still trending in the right direction.
“He’s in good spirits and he continues to get better every day,” Campbell said after Sunday’s win. “I did not get into details of this trip, just wanted him to know still thinking about you and stay the course. That was really (all I said to him).”
Stay the course. Sound familiar?
Jack Campbell used that same phrase after Detroit’s 32-26 loss to the Carolina Panthers in Week 4. He took the blame for a struggling defense and backed defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard.
“We’ve just got to stay the course, stick together,” Jack Campbell said. “Right now, it’s us versus everybody.”
This isn’t the first time Dan Campbell has kept football out of their conversations either.
Before the Lions’ 19-9 win over the Miami Dolphins in Week 9, CBS’ Melanie Collins reported that Jack Campbell is “determined to get back on this football field.” She said he told his head coach to “make sure the house is taken care of until I can get back.”
“Are you surprised by anything from Jack? That’s Jack,” Dan Campbell said after the Miami game.
He also made it clear that the message came from the linebacker, not him.
“I didn’t even get into that, and honestly I didn’t bring up anything football,” Campbell added. “So anything that came (out), that was from him.”
Lions Still Don’t Have a Timeline for Jack Campbell
Jack Campbell went down early in the fourth quarter against the Vikings while tackling tight end T.J. Hockenson. He lay face down on the turf, not moving, for several minutes. Then he was strapped to a backboard and carted off to a local hospital.
Three days later, he released a statement through the team saying he had full movement in his lower body and was making progress with his upper body.
“I’m incredibly encouraged by the progress I’ve made in such a short period of time,” Campbell said. “I know there’s still work ahead, but I remain very optimistic.”
The Lions placed Campbell on injured reserve on Nov. 7, so he’ll miss at least four games. But the team hasn’t given a timeline for his return. It has also declined to share more medical details out of respect for Campbell and his family.
That’s a big hole in the middle of Detroit’s defense. The 2023 first-round pick (No. 18 overall) was a first-team All-Pro last season and led the Lions in tackles this year before the injury.
His teammates haven’t forgotten either. Lions players wore Campbell’s No. 46 jersey into Hard Rock Stadium in Miami and gave him the game ball after the win.
It won’t get any easier for Detroit’s defense. The Lions host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers next Sunday, and defensive end Aidan Hutchinson is waiting on an update after he hurt his knee celebrating a first-quarter sack in Munich.
New Jack Campbell Injury Update Emerges After Lions’ Win Over Patriots