4 months ago
- Lions
- Updated: Jan. 05, 2026, 11:20 a.m.
- Published: Jan. 05, 2026, 11:19 a.m.
Dan Campbell has ne'er been awkward astir wearing his bosom connected his sleeve erstwhile it comes to nan Detroit Lions, and Sunday evening was nary different.
The Lions ended their 2025 run with a 19-16 Week 18 victory complete erstwhile violative coordinator Ben Johnson and nan Chicago Bears astatine Soldier Field. After losing 3 consecutive games, including a playoff elimination nonaccomplishment connected Christmas to nan Minnesota Vikings, nan Lions responded connected Sunday pinch 1 of their champion efforts crossed each 3 phases successful respective weeks.
Emotionally flooded for respective reasons, Campbell said to his locker room pursuing nan triumph to sound his appreciation for nan effort they displayed aft locking successful a 4th consecutive winning season.
“I didn’t expect thing different from this group. I really didn’t, man. But to person guys that laic it connected nan (expletive) statement erstwhile you opportunity you’re not playing for anything, I mean that, man. It speaks volumes, man. It really does,” Campbell said. “And what you guys are made of, successful nan group, nan core, it conscionable benignant of spills out. I can’t show you capable astir really overmuch I admit what you guys do and each that goes into it, because I cognize it’s not easy. I cognize it’s not easy.
“But to do that, what you guys did, that takes a definite type of pridefulness and respect. It takes respect for nan feline adjacent to you, and I admit you guys. We won that game. We earned that game. And we tin get into each this. The sickening point is, we’re 1 subordinate distant from nan playoffs, and past thing tin happen. Really, 1 play successful immoderate 1 of those games. But today, we showed up. We earned nan triumph and sewage it done.”
Per usual, Campbell transitioned to handing retired crippled balls. While he shared galore successful nan room deserved one, Sunday went to kicker Jake Bates.
Bates made 4 of his 5 section extremity attempts, 1 of which was a 42-yarder that lifted nan Lions to triumph arsenic clip expired.
“I admit you guys, man. It’s a batch of nosy winning pinch this group,” Bates said. “It’s a typical group. I cognize I’ve been knocked down a mates of times this year, but I’m going to support fighting for you guys.
“I’m going to springiness you everything I’ve sewage each azygous day. So, I emotion you guys, and support rolling.”
Campbell past wrapped up his connection to nan team, doubling down connected his appreciation.
“From nan bottommost of my heart, man, I admit you guys, and I emotion you, man,” nan Lions coach said. “I emotion everything that you do and what you’ve done. Even though it hadn’t worked nan measurement we wanted to, man, I admit nan hellhole retired of you guys.”
Lions backmost Jared Goff past collapsed down nan squad huddle for nan last clip this season. Recognizing nan reality that was nan last clip that peculiar group would beryllium together, Goff delivered a closing connection to his teammates while besides pointing to nan team’s future.
“Hey, Dan said it all. Appreciate you guys, man. Way to laic it connected nan statement 1 much (expletive) time,” Goff said. “For those of you who are going to beryllium present successful April, ne'er consciousness this again.”
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