Sean Payton Shares Why Dan Campbell Dislikes OTAs, Excels Coaching

Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton has vast knowledge of Dan Campbell and what has made him successful during his tenure coaching the Detroit Lions.

Appearing on the Trey Wingo Network, the veteran coach shared why the former NFL tight end has been successful and discussed his reaction to recent comments made Campbell made about organized team activities.

Last week, Campbell raised eyebrows when he discussed organized team activities, seemingly not wanting too much to be gleemed about players performing without wearing pads.

"I love Dan. I had the good fortune of being with Dan when we drafted him at the Giants. I was a coordinator, and then he joined us at the Cowboys and eventually the Saints as a coach. One of his great skill sets as a player, and there were many, you're seeing it now as a head coach. Man, he was a trench blocking, blocking tight end, physical," said Payton. "I'm sure he hated this time of the year, because everything that he did well was not defined in OTAs. I don't know that Shockey would have the exact same opinion as Campbell.

"They were different type players, but I saw his comments and I chuckled. I thought, if you told me these comments came from an NFL head coach, I would have answered in jeopardy, 'Who was Dan Campbell?' I love the success he's having."

Campbell served on Payton's Saints coaching staff from 2016-2020. He also was a player on team's Payton coached on three separate occasions.

Payton recalled a funny story about Campbell, following the Saints winning the Super Bowl.

"It's always hard to project, but I would say so. I was with him three times actually, where he was a player in New York, when we drafted him," Payton shared. "Then in Dallas that first round of free agency, and then we actually signed him at the Saints. He was on that 2009 team that won the Super Bowl. He got hurt in training camp.

"Stories grow a little bit or the lore of Dan Campbell. But, I guess there was a point, he gets hurt in training camp, and look, he misses the whole season," Payton explained further. "But, there was a point, from my memory, where he kind of stormed into the training room. This was after the Super Bowl. He looked at everyone and said, 'Man, what a grind of a season.' And it was that chuckle. That sense of humor."

Sean Payton on what makes Dan Campbell a great NFL coach @wingoz pic.twitter.com/ikDvHJOyek
— DetroitSportsPodcast (@DetroitPodcast) June 6, 2026

Payton had a strong feeling players would gravitate towards Campbell and saw first-hand how he grew as an assistant coach in New Orleans.

"I felt that way about Dan once he joined our staff. You don't sometimes know," said Payton. "There are players you coach that you'll think, 'Hey, this guy is going to be a heck of a coach, if he chooses to.' When he chose to get into coaching, there was a number of years I tried to snag him from Miami, but I couldn't, because he was under contract. Once he was on our staff, very quickly, he was one of a few guys. I mean, there's two or thee now that became head coaches on that staff."

Campbell has credited Payton on many occasions for giving him an opportunity to grow as a coach and highlighting how to handle the ups and downs of a football season.

"I can recall just the process with him when he got that opportunity. So, it wasn't surprising once I had a chance to be around him, especially as an assistant coach. But, he's always been that," Payton said. "You knew exactly what you were getting, refreshingly honest, and players gravitated to him when he played. They gravitated to him when he coached as an assistant, and you see it happening now as a head coach. I think he does an outstanding job."

Add us as a preferred source on Google