'We're Not Into the Hype': Dan Campbell Focused on Building Chemistry
The Detroit Lions are not going to allow added media attention to derail their elevated goals for the upcoming season.
With winning and adding talent to the roster who also possess big personalities, the media attention has come pouring in.
For Detroit's coaching staff and young roster, the goals remain the same, especially after falling just short of making the playoffs last season.
“Yeah, look we don’t -- we’re not into the hype," said head coach Dan Campbell. "Like right now, everything is about the work. And it will be when we get into training camp. Goes back to what I said, we’ve got a brand new team that we’ve got to build from the ground up again. Yeah, we’ve got a foundation, but yeah man, we’ve got to get the chemistry right. We’ve got a lot of new faces."
While many NFL pundits are expecting big things from Detroit in 2023, including hosting a home playoff game, Detroit's third-year head coach is focused on not allowing distractions and outside noise to negatively impact his squad.
Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell at OTAs
© Kirthmon F. Dozier / USA TODAY NETWORK
"All of that other stuff won’t matter if we don’t put the work back in," Campbell commented. "So that, to me, is the focus. We can’t worry about what everybody else says. Just like last year -- we can’t worry about, when you lose five in a row, that you’re back in the dumpers again, because if you do that, then you won’t win another game. And it’s the same thing here. If we’re going to really buy into that and not put the work in again, no, we’ll get our ass kicked. So, that’s not what we’re going to do.”
Safety Tracy Walker, who was able to work on the sidelines during OTAs, was asked about reading the national media hype surrounding the team.
Detroit's veteran safety indicated he is not feeding into the media narratives, especially after coming across the negativity that came Detroit's way at the beginning of last season, when the team started 1-6.
"But the Lions, we are a new team, definitely," said Walker. "The media should be eating it up because we're going to make a lot of noise. We're starving right now, so we're going to be a little selfish."
