NOVEMBER 17: It certainly appears Texas A&M did make an inquiry, with Campbell indicating the SEC program “maybe” reached out in the wake of Fisher’s firing. “That’s my alma mater; I want to do anything I can to help them but coach for them,” Campbell said (via The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman). Campbell’s Lions contract runs through 2025. Even if Campbell is not interested, being high on Texas A&M’s list illustrates how high his stock has climbed during the Lions’ rise.
NOVEMBER 16: Dan Campbell made the unexpected rise from Saints tight ends coach to successful Lions leader, jumping the ladder despite having never held an NFL coordinator role. With Year 3 of the Lions’ rebuild producing one of the most promising seasons in modern Lions history, the popular HC’s stock has skyrocketed since his New Orleans days and 2015 stint as Dolphins interim HC.
When Texas A&M fired Jimbo Fisher, Campbell’s name came up. Prior to entering the coaching profession, Campbell turned his Texas A&M college career into a third-round draft slot and an 11-year run as an NFL tight end. Considering the Aggies’ sudden need at their highest-profile coaching job, CBS Sports’ Dennis Dodd reports the program reached out about the gig.
While Dodd describes this as a backchannel effort to gauge Campbell’s interest in returning to his alma mater, the third-year Lions coach is not interested in the position. Campbell, 47, is a Texas native who trekked to College Station in the late 1990s from the Dallas area.
Moving directly from a head NFL job to a college leadership role has taken place, of course. Jim Harbaugh famously left the 49ers for Michigan after the 2014 season, his fourth with the team. Though, a conflict with GM Trent Baalke contributed to Harbaugh’s NFL exit. Bobby Petrino bolted late in his first Falcons season, returning to the college game for the Arkansas job. Pete Carroll‘s USC stint began a year after the Patriots fired him. Chip Kelly returned to the college ranks a year after the 49ers canned him.
This is also not the most stable time for the college game, with conference changes accompanying the transfer portal and NIL ruling as major developments that have altered the Division I-FBS landscape. For as much pressure as the NFL provides, complications on that level do not exist. As evidenced by the record-setting buyout Fisher will receive, Texas A&M could certainly make Campbell a monster offer that would be worth considering. But it would be shocking to see the well-respected HC leave his Detroit post while the team is on this level. Adding to that, Campbell has never coached in college. He transition from reserve tight end to assistant coach in 2010.
The Lions have not won a division championship since 1993, nine years before the NFC North existed. Detroit’s two NFC Central titles in the 1990s — the other coming in 1991, when the franchise last won a playoff game — represent two of the organization’s three division crowns in the post-merger era (the other came in 1983). The Lions are rarely on this level, but the Campbell-Brad Holmes regime has elevated the once-downtrodden franchise to a rare place. While the Lions have won division titles in the distant past, they have never earned home-field advantage in the NFC playoffs. Entering Week 11, this is also in play for the 7-2 team.
Campbell remains attached to the six-year contract the Lions gave him to oversee this rebuild. If the Lions secure an NFC North title and snap their 32-year playoff win drought, it would certainly not surprise if the franchise rewarded him with an extension.
lol at a college program asking an active NFL HC if he wants their job during the season
Especially this college program and this active NFL HC
To my thinking this is a counter productive approach. Colleges should be promoting coaching talent within their system to positions of increasing responsibility, getting these guys prepped for a chance to make the leap to the NFL. Hiring coaches from the NFL throws cold water on that type of development process and probably damages the morale of the remaining coaches on staff.
In some circumstances, yes. But big time college programs are not going to follow that approach. Campbell being an A&M is worth making the call, and not totally ridiculous considering A&M will most likely pay a comparable salary to NFL.
I think your comment is a true rendering but when you have contracts in the millions, all common sense and integrity go out the window. It’s alternately funny and disturbing that we are talking about “institutions of higher learning” paying their football and basketball coaches outrageous sums of money to win ball games and compete for championships
Nice to see priorities are in order
The world has gone crazy
I don’t have a remedy but it’s a lose/lose from my vantage point. Do we want coaches in the NFL who think “well if I screw up here, I can always go back to the college level and steal a job from some other guy whose trying to advance up the ranks”.
A Jumbo Fisher type offer might change his thinking.
You obviously know nothing about Campbell.
I’m sure you know him intimately.
Dan Campbell isn’t coaching for the money. He’s a high character guy who loves the game and his players. He preaches culture all the time. He’s built a great culture in Detroit. He’ll get rewarded from the Lions.
I always love people acting like they have any earthly idea what a coach or player is thinking. It’s hilarious.
I’m sure Dan is so committed to Detroit that he would turn down $100m guaranteed….I wouldn’t, would you?
Him and Brad Holmes have turned around a floundering franchise in 3 years. I’m sure that is worth more to him than $$. The Lions after all these years, are relavant and a very good football team.
I always love people not from the area and not living in the area suggesting the opinion from someone from that area is way off base. DC has been here almost three years on our radios and our televisions. His actions have been been consistent with his message is consistent.
Damn it. I was trying to edit while way the game and hit the “post comment”. Anyway, I will leave it there and go back to watching Bengal/Ravens on TNF.
Bengals are done. Burrow sprained his wrist on his throwing hand and their remaining schedule is brutal. Ravens are going to miss Mark Andrews if he has to miss the rest of the season. Ravens are still playoff bound though.
And Lamar is still the most overrated QB in the NFL. Gifted athlete, but not an elite QB by any stretch. They’ll win nothing with him
@willclark / I guess I don’t consider coaches and players to be complex intellectual Einstein’s. Coaches are thinking of excuses that can be used to save their job after a disappointing season. Players are thinking about getting salaries increases. None of them are thinking of ways to split the atom.
Isn’t coaching for money… LMAO
He already made money as a player, and probably wasn’t getting paid that well as a tight ends coach. It’s obvious his whole life is and always has been football and he truly does love the game. He does not come off as a for the money guy.
Why would Campbell leave the Lions when he is on the verge of a successful rebuild to go to a college team?? He wins a playoff game and he’ll probably get an extension. He has better job security in Detroit than he would anywhere else and he has a team he helped build. Pretty sure Matt Patricia would be interested.
Colleges do throw out crazy money, more than any NFL coach gets. That said I think Campbell prefers coaching men. In college he actually has a bigger roster and has to worry about players being eligible and cheating stuff.
Making Detroit a consistent contender would also be a bigger accomplishment than making his alma mater good.
I’m a Vikes guy but man I do love what this guy is doing in Detroit. I hope he stays there, for the first time since Barry Sanders that team is entertaining to watch.
Leaked by Campbell’s agent to get a renegotiated deal from the Lions. He’s not going anywhere except to the Owner’s office to sign the revised contract.
Given his incredible success, I doubt that his agent had to leak anything. What A&M did is standard operating procedure when it comes to looking for coaches. Successful alumni are natural targets.
College is mostly about recruiting, not coaching. That’s why so many college coaches fail to be successful in the NFL. The money offered by A&M only means something if Campbell isn’t interested in being a coach – which doesn’t seem likely.
If Campbell takes the Lions to the promise land, they’ll build a statue of him and he’ll never buy a meal in this town again.
Not surprised by Campbell’s decision. If A&M doesn’t get Mike Elko from Duke, I’m not sure who they can hire.
They’re going to drag this out into the offseason.
That was the point of firing him now, so it’s just endless rumors of who’s getting the big job next year.