Here are three observations after a second viewing and a night to ponder the Detroit Lions’ 19-15 victory over the Minnesota Vikings.
Bigger than the game
Training camp practice ended at least a half hour earlier. The fans who attended the morning session had largely dispersed, and the roster and coaches had funneled inside.
But not linebacker Jack Campbell. I can’t remember if he had been signing autographs, doing a national radio interview, or both, but he was still lingering in the tent on the far side of the field, about 150 yards from where I stood.
Instead of waiting by the entrance to the facility, I, along with another reporter, met Campbell in that quiet corner away from the rest of the media.
The team had only conducted a handful of camp practices, but it was clear Campbell was primed to make a second-year jump. Given the investment the Lions had made in him a year earlier, it was beyond time for a check-in.
We didn’t talk long, maybe eight minutes, but it centered around an honest reflection of an exhausting rookie season. It’s not often recognized, but the reason so many first-year players hit a wall is because they get so little down time between their final college snap and first professional campaign. Instead of a break between the seasons, they’re fully invested in preparing for the draft, robbing their bodies and minds of the time they need to rest and recover.
Campbell’s rookie season included three preseason appearances, 17 regular season games and three postseason contests. That was nearly two years worth of Iowa football. By the time he reached the finish line, his body ached, his mind was numb, but he had pushed through, because that’s what he does.
In that conversation, Campbell shed light on his leadership style. From the day he walked through the door, he intended to set the tone for his teammates through his availability, no matter what.