Dan Campbell walked into Munich and immediately gave the local reporters something to work with.
The Detroit Lions head coach met with the German media on Friday, November 13, ahead of Sunday’s game against the New England Patriots at Allianz Arena, and what started as a routine press conference quickly turned into a comedy show. Campbell opened with a friendly “Guten Tag” at the FC Bayern Munich Campus, then added, “That’s as good as I can do.”
From there, the questions turned to whether Amon-Ra St. Brown - who speaks German fluently and whose mother, Miriam, was born in Leverkusen - had taught him anything useful. Campbell’s answer made it clear he had learned a little German, just not exactly the polished kind you’d want in front of a microphone.
He said he often uses motivational lines with his team, including one about spreading their wings and flying. Then he tried to find a German version of the F-word to punch it up.
“I don’t know if he taught me this. I’ve been known to use profanity, so bear with me here.
I always give these pointers to the team on just little subtleties about - one of them is spreading our wings. ‘Man, it’s time to spread our wings and fly,’ all right?”
Campbell told reporters.
He kept going, explaining how he landed on “Scheiße” as the closest match.
“But I like to use a little profanity, so I’m looking up a way to say, somewhat, maybe, the F-word in front of wings, spread your, and so I see ‘Scheiße’ is as close as I can get to it.”
St. Brown’s reaction shut that idea down fast.
“And (St. Brown’s) like, ‘S- wings?’
So it didn’t go over like I thought it would. But anyway, he taught me what not to say.
So, there you go,” Campbell said.
The room got a laugh out of it, and Campbell wasn’t done with the lighter side of the trip. When he was asked what German food he wanted to try, he had a different answer in mind: beer.
“You don’t come to Germany without getting a German beer, I know that. So, I will definitely have a beer before I leave; that’s for sure,” Campbell said.
He said he hadn’t settled on a specific one yet, but he intended to have one before heading home. And if the Lions win on Sunday, that beer figure to taste even better.
In Other News...
Lions Head To Germany With Amon-Ra Uncertainty Hanging Over Offense
Amon-Ra St. Browns status has become the biggest offensive question hanging over the Lions as they head to Germany for their latest international stage. The receiver is listed as questionable because of a rib injury, though he did take part in practice on a limited basis and still sounded eager for the chance to play overseas.
Sione Vaki is in a similar spot after being listed as questionable and working in a limited role, while the Lions will be without D.J. Reed, Cade Mays and Kerby Joseph after all three were ruled out and did not travel with the team. For a roster already dealing with uncertainty, the trip adds another layer of intrigue around how Detroit will line up once the game gets underway. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Head To Munich With Key Depth Pieces Suddenly Under Pressure
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There is also some pressure on the passing game to get more out of wide receiver TeSlaa, who has yet to make much of an impact this season. Detroit needs more from that spot if it wants to keep Jared Goff's passing game moving efficiently, especially against a Patriots defense that will be looking to make the Lions earn every yard. For a team trying to stay sharp on a long road trip, these are the kinds of roles that can quietly shape the outcome. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Still Waiting On Kerby Joseph As Defensive Pressure Builds
Kerby Joseph is staying back in Detroit for the Lions trip to Munich, but the expectation around the building is still that his return is coming soon. Dan Campbell said the safety is progressing well and has avoided any setbacks, which keeps him on track to be added to the active roster before Wednesdays cutoff tied to his 21-day practice window. For a defense that has had to manage injuries and shuffle pieces, getting Joseph back would be a welcome boost.
The Lions have leaned on other contributors to keep things moving, with Juice Scruggs and Christian Mahogany among the players helping absorb the strain on the roster. Even so, Josephs absence remains a notable one because of what he brings to the secondary and the pressure Detroit is trying to handle on that side of the ball. The next step is simply getting him through the final stretch of the activation process, and the team is still waiting to see that part play out. [Read more 🡒]