Getty Dan Campbell runs on the field during a Lions game in 2021.
It’s been the offseason of nicknames for the Detroit Lions, and Dan Campbell has been one of the guys in charge of handing them out.
The head coach seems to love when he gets the chance to put a new nickname on a player, and he revealed quite possibly the best nickname yet for one of his important weapons on offense.
Speaking before practice on Saturday, July 30, Campbell discussed Josh Reynolds and his progression. As he revealed, he is happy with how the wideout is progressing. More interesting than that, though, was how Campbell chose to describe how Reynolds operates on the field.
Coach has some nicknames for @J_Rey_11 🤣
“He’s slippery man, I call him the praying mantis. The spider of death. There’s just something about him. Freaking serpent. So I love where he’s at right now,” Campbell told the media.
Earlier this offseason, Campbell revealed lineman Alim McNeill the “dancing bear,” “twinkletoes” and “buttercup,” some of the better nicknames the team had at the time. This new admission, however, might take things to a whole new level.
Reynolds will have a hard time living down this group of nicknames the rest of the offseason and into 2022.
Campbell Knows Players Nickname Him, Too
While Campbell might have an easy time putting a nickname on a player, it’s all from a place of love. Plus, he knows he is the subject of his own nicknames, even if he doesn’t hear them all the time.
Don’t worry, players have nicknames for Coach too
“I love those guys, I do. Look, they got nicknames for me. It’s all good. I don’t know what they are, but they got ’em,” Campbell joked.
Hopefully, someone spills the beans from the locker room about any potential nicknames for Campbell, because those have the chance to be epic. It could add a fantastic new layer onto nickname wars this season.
Reynolds Career Stats & Highlights
After seeing what he can provide last year, Lions fans should be excited to have Reynolds back. That’s true no matter what the coaching staff wants to call him.
At just 26 years old, Reynolds is a solid young pass catcher and has Lions experience. After starting his career with Texas A&M in college and putting up 2,788 yards and 30 touchdowns in his career, he was scooped up in the fourth-round of the 2017 NFL draft by Los Angeles. In his NFL career, Reynolds has put up 1,540 yards and 9 scores. Most of that production came with the Rams, and after signing in Tennessee, Reynolds did not see much playing time. That changed once he landed with the Lions.
Reynolds has a chance to blossom in Detroit and has helped his new team’s offense in a big way. Watching the tape, it’s easy to see why Campbell believes he could have sneaky moves on the field while operating in stealth.