Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell said Tuesday morning that Jack Campbell is still “improving” after the linebacker was left motionless on the turf at Ford Field and taken to the hospital overnight.
Speaking on Costa and Jansen with Heather on Detroit’s 97/1 The Ticket, Campbell said the team is still thinking about the All-Pro linebacker, but that the latest word is encouraging.
“It’s not easy because he’s gonna always be on our minds over here.
“The good news is he is improving, but we also - we got a job to do, and this is what we’re tasked with, and there’s a reason why we go through all this stuff.
“It’s to get to where we wanna go collectively as a team, and adversity comes in all shapes and sizes and we gotta overcome everything that comes our way.”
Campbell also said he had kept the captains informed, and that the news had helped settle the rest of the locker room.
“I think the thought of him - knowing he’s doing better - I’ve kept the captains up to date and they’ve let the other guys know it’s good news.
“So, I think that helps everybody just get a better handle on all this. Once you know that, then you gotta move on for yourself, too, in that moment because if you let things wander and you drift and you worry a little and then you’re trying to play or prepare, that’s where bad things can happen to you because you’re not all in on what you need to be doing.
“So, that’s why it’s important that you get back to your own business. All we can do at this point is just continue to pray for Jack, put our thoughts on him when we have a minute, and his family, and it’s working, like I said, because he is improving.”
Jack Campbell was injured while trying to make a tackle on Minnesota Vikings star TJ Hockenson. He was loaded onto a backboard and transported to the hospital with his wife and baby son by his side, where he stayed overnight.
Players from both teams took a knee as he was taken off the field, and Lions linebacker Aidan Hutchinson was visibly shaken as Detroit tried to finish the game. As the defense captain, Hutchinson delivered a speech before play resumed, even as he fought through tears.
The Lions had already issued a statement Monday afternoon saying: “Jack Campbell continues to rest and recover at a local hospital.
“Preliminary indications are positive and out of respect for Jack and his family we will not share further information at this time.”
Detroit also shared locker room footage showing Dan Campbell leading a prayer for the injured linebacker.
“I’m gonna lower this mood a little bit.
“I do not have any more information on Jack. We don’t know anything else at this point.
So here’s what I wanna do. We’re gonna take a knee.
Now I wanna pray for Jack, and let’s keep in our thoughts and prayers”
The prayer itself was not included in the clip, but Campbell appeared emotional as he prepared to kneel, with a red face and tears seemingly streaming down his face.
The video then showed quarterback Jared Goff addressing the team.
“Hey, I love you boys. Stick together.
I know that [it’s] tough with Jack. Stick together, lean on each other.
Alright?”
A former Iowa star, Jack Campbell was drafted by the Lions with the No. 18 overall pick in 2023. He was an All-Pro last season after becoming the first NFL player in seven years to record 150-plus tackles, at least five sacks and three forced fumbles.
Detroit signed him last May to a four-year, $81 million contract extension that runs through the 2030 season.
The injury comes during a major year for Campbell away from football as well. In February, he and his wife Megan welcomed their first child, a boy named Cooper.
In Other News...
Pistons Are Letting A Real Development Question Linger With Okorie
Ebuka Okories early run with the Pistons has been easy to miss on the box score, and that is part of the concern. The rookie has appeared in four games and has barely gotten on the floor, leaving him with little chance to settle in or build on the promise he flashed in the preseason.
Detroit has had a few lopsided wins where extra minutes for a young guard could have served a purpose, but Okorie has still been left on the margins. For a team trying to develop useful depth, the question is whether those low-pressure chances will come soon enough to help him grow into a real contributor. [Read more 🡒]
Pistons Suddenly Look Like A Real East Threat After Statement Win
The Pistons kept rolling with a lopsided 124-91 win over the Hornets, and Cade Cunningham set the tone with a season-high 33 points. Detroit backed that up with the kind of two-way effort that has made this start feel real, getting strong defensive work and a major lift from the bench, including 24 points from Duncan Robinson.
At 6-1, the Pistons are no longer just an early-season surprise. They are starting to look like a team that can hang with the better clubs in the Eastern Conference, and wins like this one only add to that sense of legitimacy. The challenge now is sustaining it as the schedule gets tougher and the league starts treating Detroit like a team worth game-planning for. [Read more 🡒]
Duncan Robinson Is Giving The Pistons Something Fans Never Expected
Duncan Robinson has given the Pistons an early-season wrinkle few saw coming. Known mostly for his shooting, he has opened the year producing career-best marks in points, three-point attempts, three-point percentage and free-throw attempts per game, while also doing something even more surprising for Detroit: leading the team in steals at two per game.
The defensive jump has been one of the quieter developments around the roster, and it has not come from suddenly becoming a different kind of stopper. Instead, Robinson has been more effective with his positioning and anticipation, which has helped him create extra possessions and add value beyond the arc. For a Pistons team still sorting out its identity, that kind of two-way lift is hard to ignore. [Read more 🡒]