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Head coach Dan Campbell of the Detroit Lions has received a lot of criticism for some of his second-half decisions in the NFC Championship game. But it’s safe to say Lions right tackle Penei Sewell will not be one of his critics anytime soon.
Sewell adamantly defended his coach to ESPN’s Eric Woodyard during an event in Orlando, Florida on February 3.
“I don’t agree with any criticism toward Coach [Dan Campbell]. I’ve got his back until the end,” Sewell told Woodyard. “If he tells me to jump off a cliff with him, I’m right next to him.
“I’m so serious. So, whatever he says, whatever he calls, we’ve just got to execute. So, that’s on us really. That’s my guy.”
Sewell was referencing the two 4th-down conversions the Lions failed to execute in the third and fourth quarters against the San Francisco 49ers. Both attempts were with 2 or 3 yards to go, but the Lions also had the option to kick field goals between 45 and 49 yards.
Both fourth-down tries resulted in a turnover on downs, which helped fuel 27 straight San Francisco points.
The Lions lost the NFC championship game 34-31. They led by 17 points at halftime.
Lions RT Penei Sewell Defends Dan Campbell
Sewell was a man of very few words in the locker room after the NFC championship game loss. He had a hard time putting the defeat into words. Then when asked about all the accomplishments the team achieved during the regular season, Sewell replied, “That [expletive] don’t matter.”
But after nearly a week to reflect, Sewell was clearly in his coach’s corner.
The former No. 7 overall pick from the 2021 NFL draft, Sewell had his best season as a professional in 2023. He made his second Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro while starting all 17 games.
According to the Pro Football Focus player grades, Sewell was the best offensive tackle in the entire NFL. He scored a PFF grade of 92.8 out of 100.
“I’m just more comfortable with everything and I’ve experienced more at the end of the day,” Sewell told Woodyard. “And the game is slower and that’s pretty much it.”
Unfinished Business for Lions in 2024
There’s a mantra already floating around the Lions for the 2024 season — unfinished business.
Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown explained on The 33rd Team podcast that offensive coordinator Ben Johnson said the phrase to him in a phone conversation as his explanation for staying in Detroit.
Sewell didn’t repeat the phrase to Woodyard, but he implied the same idea. The Lions will enter the 2024 season with self-expectations of making it back to the NFC championship game and beyond.
“Every new year going in, there’s always another level to tap into, and I feel like there’s no limit and we’ve just got to go attack it like that,” said Sewell.
Sewell also added that the Lions are family. Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn returning despite having head coaching opportunities just confirms that according to Sewell.
The Lions accomplished a lot of things during the 2023 season that they hadn’t done in a long time. In 2024, they will aim to earn a postseason berth in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1994-95.
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