With the recent success of Dan Campbell’s Detroit Lions this season, the Motor City keeps stacking victories, tallying their eighth win in a row. Following the road win, Campbell met with the team for his signature postgame locker room speech. And in said speech, Campbell gave this team a title that no one can take away.
“I read something this morning, and it was talking about being on the road,” Campbell said. “It brought me back to we were 2-6 in 2022. We had not won a road game in two years. We were 0-11-1 on the road in ’21 and half of ’22, and then we went to Chicago and got it. We got our first dub, and since then, we’re 16-5 on the road, men. And every one of you are a part of that. Every one of you are a part of that. That’s big, man. 16-5 on the road, alright? So, we’re road warriors.”
And there you have it. From now on, the Lions will be referred to as road warriors. It’s a fitting title, really.
Dan Campbell thinks the Lions are “road warriors.”
pic.twitter.com/S3ca5C2Cax— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 25, 2024
Before Campbell took over in 2021, the Lions placed fourth in the NFC North for their third straight season. And even under Campbell for his first season, the Lions placed fourth in the division.
However, the following year, Lions players began buying into what their head coach was selling to them. The Lions’ general manager Brad Holmes and Campbell began constructing a strong roster full of gritty players who wanted nothing more than to win every game on their schedule, regardless of where it was played.
And now, a few seasons later, they’re on a long-awaited revenge tour.
Dan Campbell leading Lions to NFC dominance
In Campbell’s introductory press conference with the Lions, many laughed at his message of wanting to bite off the kneecaps of their opposition. But now, as the Lions sit 10-1 and on top of the NFC North, no one’s laughing.
As Campbell saw in his first season, it’s hard to win in the NFL. It’s even harder to win on the road, and the Lions’ head coach had his fair share of road losses to begin his coaching career.
However, something in the Lions’ locker room clicked after they defeated the Bears at Soldier Field in Week 10. Since that win, the Lions have been one of the top teams on the road, sporting a 16-5 record as the away team.
So, while some were early to hit the eject button on Campbell, it’s unlikely that many Lions fans are doubting him and the road warriors anymore.
