Mike Valenti Reveals Insights about Dan Campbell Returning in 2023
Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell told reporters Wednesday that team owner Sheila Hamp was all-in on the team’s rebuild, but is frustrated with the team’s 1-4 start to the 2022 season.
Campbell signed a six-year contract to coach the Lions when he was hired in 2021, but the slow start to this season, paired with the emergence of other rebuilding teams, such as the New York Giants and New York Jets, has led to questions about his future.
During Wednesday’s edition of "The Valenti Show With Rico," on 97.1 The Ticket, the popular sports hosts discussed a recent conversation they had with Lions play-by-play broadcaster Dan Miller.
Both Valenti and Beard believe, as a result of the conversation they had with Miller, that Campbell is guaranteed to return to the Lions as the head coach in 2023, regardless of the season’s outcome.
“Dan Miller said this the other day,” Valenti said. “Off-air, and I don’t think, I’m not narcing on Dan, Dan just said, ‘No, I think Year 3 is guaranteed, they like him.'”
“It was almost no matter what, he’s gonna be back, guys,” Beard added. “He didn’t say those exact words, but that was the vibe that he gave off. Like, yeah, he’ll be back.”
In his brief tenure as Lions head coach, Campbell is 4-17-1. However, he has generated positive momentum for the organization through the team’s appearance on "Hard Knocks" and numerous viral quotes.
The job of a head coach, though, is to win football games. As Valenti pointed out, the Lions' ownership has been snakebitten in the past due to its loyalty to coaches.
“That’s something that I think has been the Ford’s weakness for a long time, their personal feelings towards a coach cloud their judgement," Valenti said. “Hell, I think everybody likes Dan Campbell. I think everyone wanted Dan Campbell to be successful. I don’t have any personal animus towards him. I may not love certain aspects of the personality and the presentation, I just care about results. Guys, if this season really dead spirals and you end up 4-13, no I’m sorry, a coach is 7-26-1 after two seasons, I don’t think you’re guaranteed a third year. I don’t think it’s acceptable that you are very likely, within the first two years of the regime, that you are going to replace both coordinators you hired.”
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Valenti and Beard were advocating for a quick move if things continue to go south, so that the regime wouldn’t get a chance to make long-term decisions through the offseason that could continue to set the organization back.
“Here’s the biggest mistake you make, and you just made it with (former GM Bob Quinn and head coach Matt Patricia), you don’t give guys an ultimatum or guys that lack security the power to make long-term decisions,” Valenti said. “Because you know what happens? They make short-term, cover-your-expletive decisions. Just like Bob Quinn made with (cornerback Jeff) Okudah instead of taking a QB. Dan and Brad will go into next year (under) heavy pressure, and if they don’t make the right organizational moves, Rico nailed this, you’ll be set back years.”
Beard pointed to the fact that the Lions could’ve taken their quarterback of the future in the 2020 NFL Draft, which was the last draft of the Quinn-Patricia era.
Later, Valenti spoke about the upcoming games on Detroit’s schedule and how the season could continue to unfold. The Lions’ next three games are at Dallas, and then at home against Miami and Green Bay.
With three tough opponents ahead, Detroit could be in a very difficult situation.
“If they lose the next three weeks, it can’t sound the same, it can’t be the same at 1-7,” Valenti said. “Because then you’re looking at nine games left in the season. How many of these games actually matter? The answer is zero. How much has this team improved? The answer will likely be zero, and at that point, if you’re not having an open dialogue about the future of your franchise, you’ve kind of told me you don’t know what you’re doing. I just don’t think you can guarantee, and if you don’t think (Campbell’s comments Wednesday) mean what I think they mean, say it. But, it says to me, and I think Rico’s riding with me on this, me potentially in the sidecar and him driving the motorcycle, Dan Campbell’s not going anywhere. They could get punched in the face the next 12 weeks, they’re not going anywhere, because Sheila is Martha and Martha is William, it’s all the same. Patience is the order of the day.”
Beard later referenced the "Same Old Lions" mentality when it comes to coaching decisions.
“This, to me, is same old Lions,” Beard said. “This is exactly what your parents did. You see the ineptitude, but you embrace it because they’re nice guys, and I’m gonna give them a chance to try to fix this thing instead of being the leader and saying, ‘No, we’re gonna do better. I’m gonna do better, I’m gonna be better than the previous generation. I’m gonna go out and set the new standard for this team.’”
