Dan Campbell hyperlinks winless 2008 Lions to 2023 playoff run

DETROIT — There are two numbers Detroiters will always remember: 0 and 16.

They symbolize the Detroit Lions’ 2008 season — the one by which they grew to become the primary workforce in NFL historical past to play a 16-game schedule with out successful a recreation (although the 2017 Cleveland Browns ultimately joined them).

The workforce set a file for many losses in a season, whereas permitting the third-most factors, the fourth-most touchdowns and the second-most speeding touchdowns in league historical past. These Lions have been eradicated from playoff rivalry in Week 11, which was tied for the earliest a workforce’s postseason hopes had been dashed since 1990.

5 totally different quarterbacks threw no less than one go for Detroit — Dan Orlovsky, Jon Kitna, Daunte Culpepper, Drew Stanton and Drew Henson — with one in every of them making probably the most emblematic play of that depressing season.

In a Week 6 recreation on the Minnesota Vikings, Orlovsky took a shotgun snap from the Lions’ 1-yard line. Feeling strain from Vikings defensive finish Jared Allen, he scrambled to his proper and took about six steps out of the again of the top zone earlier than realizing he had unwittingly handed Minnesota a security.

It was a play that will stay in infamy, as would the workforce. However there was a silver lining, although the Lions did not realize it on the time. When the present Lions go to the San Francisco 49ers for Sunday’s NFC Championship Sport (6:30 p.m. ET, Fox), Dan Campbell, a veteran tight finish on that 2008 workforce, will lead them out. Over his three years as head coach in Detroit, Campbell has taken the workforce from a 3-13-1 file in Yr 1 to a win away from the franchise’s first Tremendous Bowl bid.

A hamstring damage restricted Campbell to 1 recreation in 2008, however he has since change into the face of the present Lions turnaround — partially, he says, due to his expertise as a participant on that 0-fer workforce.

“I acquired harm early. I wasn’t round for the entire 12 months, but it surely’s a type of the place you may’t get out of your personal means. You simply proceed to seek out methods to lose, sadly,” Campbell stated of the 2008 season.

“You are at all times going to study classes over time, irrespective of the place you’ve got been, the nice and the dangerous. And a few of the greatest classes you study are when issues do not go proper. And so, I have been lucky to see all of it,” he stated. “I’ve seen all of it. Been on the lowest and I have been on the highest and also you study alongside the way in which. And that helps.”

With the Lions on the verge of historical past, members of the 2008 workforce are feeling particularly related to this 12 months’s squad — largely due to Campbell.

Here’s what they advised ESPN concerning the present Detroit workforce.

What do you consider Dan Campbell, and what does it imply that he — a member of the 2008 workforce — is now main the turnaround?

Jon Kitna, Lions QB: Whenever you expertise one thing like that, you’ve got acquired one in every of two issues you are able to do: You may tuck tail and run, or you may simply proceed to method life head on, and that is who Dan is. He has a sense for the town of Detroit and the group of Detroit and what it has been by means of. It is one factor to see it from afar, however whenever you’ve sat in it, went by means of it, to the place we have been at midway by means of the season in 2007 [at 6-2] and feeling like we had issues handing over the suitable route then to see it collapse, I believe that definitely has been one thing that helps him be extra of the suitable man for that job.

Calvin Johnson, Lions WR: It is simply going full circle from the 0-16 workforce as a participant on that workforce to being a head coach and main your workforce in the entire other way of the place we went again then. An enormous a part of that’s Dan himself, being a participant turned coach and surrounding himself with a bunch of player-coaches on his employees. … You form of dial in somewhat extra when you’ve gotten a player-coach, and also you see that occuring. You noticed it when it occurred final 12 months and it form of clicked for them midway by means of the season.

Drew Henson, Lions QB: To have somebody from that group to be on the opposite aspect of the one of many biggest runs in Lions historical past, sports activities generally have a good way of telling tales and having narratives, and I definitely suppose that each man from that 2008 workforce is entrance and heart, wherever they’re at, cheering for these guys with a giant smile on their face … as a result of it has been a very long time coming they usually deserve it.

Dan Orlovsky, Lions QB: Dan was lunch pail day by day. Only a present as much as work, do your absolute best possible at work, work as onerous as you presumably can each single day, and that stood out. I used to be considerably youthful, and as a younger man whenever you watched a professional, he was a type of guys that you just watched and stated “That is what it seems to be like. That is how a professional goes about it on a day-to-day foundation.” He did not let circumstances management him or feelings management him, he was simply there to work.

Rod Marinelli, Lions head coach: I will inform you what, there isn’t any doubt in my thoughts that he’ll succeed or would succeed as a result of the kind of participant he was, he is the identical kind of coach — precisely. Arduous-nosed. All the things he had. Daily. He had a foul elbow and I imply; he was all bandaged up day by day and the satisfaction he took, successful a one-on-one in both a go block or a route and the depth of it. You bought every little thing he had each second. And that workforce is reflecting Dan’s character.

Wanting again, did you’ve gotten any concept Campbell would change into a coach and be good at it?

Johnson: I do not even know if Dan knew he can be a coach again then, however he is a frontrunner of males. He led by instance again then. Now, he can lead by instance, he can lead with phrases as a result of he is been there and achieved that and he is had some nice examples, whether or not it is some gamers round him or coaches that he is been round, and you’ll see that paying off. He is surrounded himself with good firm.

Mike Furrey, Lions WR: Whenever you performed with him, he was in all probability the most effective teammates that you may ask for as a result of he was honest. He helped out the youthful guys and he simply had a ardour to do no matter he might to assist the workforce win. And he performed like that, he acted like that, and it was day by day. So, it isn’t shocking that that locker room has purchased into who he’s as a result of he is very real.

Orlovsky: I used to be by no means stunned that he acquired employed or that he climbed so rapidly due to his self-accountability and the non-public satisfaction that he carried. I wasn’t stunned in that regard. I wasn’t stunned by the press convention [when Campbell famously talked about biting kneecaps]. That is in all probability not the suitable factor to say, however I am simply being trustworthy: I assume my shock with him is how well-coached they appear and the way clever and detailed they appear.

What is the greatest distinction concerning the group from then to now?

Henson: They drafted very well. They know what they need to be. They have nearly all former gamers as coaches and their skill to have guys which were there and achieved it and might relate to the gamers and the gamers can relate and belief them goes a great distance.

Marinelli: I see unbelievable management from the highest of the group, and I see that management come down, and I believe how they decide gamers and I do know that Dan is concerned in that, they usually hearken to him. That factor begins from the highest down, and Dan’s the right man and ideal match for that group they usually’ve achieved a terrific job in hiring good coaches and making it a spot the place guys need to keep.

Kitna: To me, it looks like there’s vertical alignment. From possession, straight on down your roster, your teaching employees, the those who work within the constructing. It simply looks like there’s full alignment there.

Johnson: Lots of it has to do with what [Lions general manager] Brad Holmes and Dan are bringing to the workforce. We have seen Brad construct a Tremendous Bowl-caliber workforce coming from out west, from [the Los Angeles Rams], and we all know what Dan does as a player-coach. All we wish is a player-coach as a result of he will get us. He understands the battle. So when you’ve gotten any person that understands the battle, however on the identical time, understands the place Detroit has been and understands the grit that represents Detroit, that’s nothing however his genuine self. He’s Detroit.

Furrey: It at all times felt like every little thing was towards you again then, and now it simply looks like, watching the sport, it looks like every little thing is beginning to match the suitable means and go the Lions’ means. Ever because the hypothetical Bobby Layne Curse, it feels prefer it’s gone the other way.

What does this season imply for Lions followers?

Kitna: It is every little thing. We all know what sports activities does. Sports activities is a unifying factor. And when cities and communities and organizations get to expertise a few of the issues that Detroit is experiencing now, coming off the heels of what occurred proper down the street in Ann Arbor [with the Michigan football team winning the national championship], it is superb.”

Johnson: That is nearly up there with faith. This factor is bringing of us to tears. You have acquired of us crying out right here. And I get it. It warmed my coronary heart to see them dudes do it simply because, although we weren’t capable of do it, we nonetheless bleed blue.

Henson: That is for the folks in Michigan, that is for the followers of generations. They have been ready on this and there isn’t any higher sports activities city within the nation, if you may get on the suitable aspect of issues, and I believe all people’s seeing it. … I do not suppose you may assist however pull for the Lions as a result of it stands for all the nice in sports activities.

Furrey: Even again within the day in 2008, once we did not win any video games, [the fans] did not give up. That city is legit. That city is stuffed with a fan base that’s actual and deserving and I simply could not be extra blissful for everyone that is been ready for this to occur, and it has been enjoyable to look at.

What do you most like concerning the 2023 Lions?

Jim Colletto, Lions offensive coordinator: They play so onerous. They have an ideal quarterback. And defensively, they play with nice depth and energy and their offense features nicely. They run the ball nicely and you’ll see that the angle of the pinnacle coach that is watching them on the sideline is [injected] into the workforce.

Furrey: You see a workforce. You see a bunch of men which might be unselfish. They’re working their rear ends off. They’ve a excessive ardour for enjoying the sport. They execute at a excessive degree. They make large performs in massive moments, on either side of the ball, they usually play with that grit that I do know that got here from one particular person and Danny has instilled that.

Marinelli: They battle. I believe they play like Dan performed. They’re powerful. On protection they fly round. They’ve an excellent angle, hustle, well-coached, all of these issues. On offense, they run the ball with toughness, and he is acquired the QB [Jared Goff] that everyone would love. That man’s a terrific chief and a terrific participant. So, it matches. All the things simply form of matches.”

Johnson: What I like most about this squad is that, yeah, you’ve gotten a pair stars on this workforce, however I really feel like truthfully we’d have had extra stars again on the workforce after I performed, however you’ve gotten some guys who’ve been across the league and you’ve got some stable veterans. And what excites me most is that you just’re beginning to see a few of these gamers that folks may not have identified about, begin to emerge and make performs.

Is that this the best Lions workforce of the Tremendous Bowl period?

Johnson: There have been stars on a few of the different groups, like Barry [Sanders], and we had stars on our groups with Matthew [Stafford], myself and you’ll hold occurring and on, however so far as only a workforce, what we’re seeing, the power that we really feel … Hey, I will inform you this, the conversations that I be having with all the fellows that come again and that I performed with, we simply be desirous about, “Canine, if we have been on this workforce, you know the way good we might be?” Yeah, we had some expertise, but it surely’s like with this coach, with this employees, with that tradition.

Kitna: They have an opportunity to do one thing that no person’s ever achieved. So, yeah.

Furrey: That may be onerous to debate making an attempt to place any person else in that image with what they’ve put along with that complete offensive line and that line of defense. That entrance, these linebackers, the duo that they’ve within the backfield proper now with David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs and their wideouts and Amon-Ra St. Brown. After which clearly Goff enjoying at a excessive degree. I do not know if Detroit has ever actually seen the end result of all these items put collectively, enjoying the way in which they’re enjoying on the identical time. Clearly, there’s been a variety of expertise with Barry Sanders and Herman Moore and Calvin Johnson and a variety of expertise there, however the collective of all these guys, it might be onerous to match anyone to that.

Colletto: It is acquired to be proper up there. This point in time of the expertise they’ve within the NFL and what they’ve achieved and the file they’ve achieved, it is acquired to be proper on the prime.

Did you ever suppose Detroit can be this good?

Kitna: I did. As a result of I noticed the funding of the possession, and it takes lots to get all people aligned they usually’ve achieved that. They acquired the suitable man. He was tough-minded sufficient to be 0-10-1 and nonetheless consider in what he is aware of to be true, and he acquired the suitable man to associate with him with [GM] Brad Holmes, so it is improbable.

Furrey: To be trustworthy with you, I did. It is as a result of there’s one thing up there in Detroit that is particular. And it is an enormous sports activities city they usually’ve acquired nice services and what the Ford household represents. You at all times felt such as you had an opportunity to be a workforce like this and for some motive, come what may, the soccer gods, it simply wasn’t meant to be. Now, they’re and it is lengthy overdue. I believe everybody that is performed in that group is aware of what they have been by means of and what the group has been by means of and the potential that they’ve had at occasions, and now to see all of this occur, I am very proud to be a veteran of the Detroit Lions.

After having suffered by means of the 0-16 season, do you’ve gotten any recommendation for this workforce?

Marinelli: Do what you do. Simply proceed to do what you do and it is ok. And hearken to your coach. That is what they’ve created in that metropolis.

Kitna: Take heed to your coach, man. Take heed to your coach.

Johnson: Stay within the second. Get pleasure from this second. Do not overlook the second. … I solely acquired to go to the playoffs twice, and also you hear about guys speaking about how they made it to the Tremendous Bowl as a rookie after which they did not contact [it] once more for the remainder of their profession. So simply stay within the second and do not overlook it as a result of that is large.

Furrey: Benefit from the second however do not miss it both. They acquired there due to their execution, their preparation and the objectives that they’ve had. They’ve achieved every little thing they’ve got down to, they usually did it the suitable means, so I would not change one bit. They’ve performed in massive video games from Week 1. I’d not change something. It is one other recreation. It is one other massive recreation. And simply proceed to do what you are doing.

Henson: You are carrying the torch for each squad that got here earlier than you. We’re within the historical past books for that 12 months [2008] they usually’ve acquired a possibility to alter the narrative of the entire franchise and I believe they’ve achieved that to a degree. And if they’ll end it off, they might be clearly the best workforce in historical past, however one which’s remembered for generations.