Before Detroit, before HBO, before his fascination with kneecaps…the thrill of tackling the Texas griddle was always Dan Campbell's driving force.
The Detroit Lions head coach was born in Clifton and went on to attend Glen Rose High School and Texas A&M University. He followed four trips with the New York Giants before signing with the Dallas Cowboys before the 2003 season, making the Texas Triple Crown a reality.
Football rarely spares anyone from its physically and mentally unforgiving nature, and despite his outwardly cheerful nature, Campbell is no exception. Primarily utilizing his blocking talent as a tight end, Campbell struggled to gain recognition as an Aggie, and in a broader sense, his hiring in Dallas was a big deal for future sensation Jason Witten. All he had to do was save his spot as the starting tight end.
But despite not having an eye-popping box score, Campbell was able to forge a solid career in the NFL, leaving a big impression on the most prominent players he came across. At the top of that list was Bill Parcells, who Campbell made one of his first free agents when he took over America's Team. Campbell has become the leader of a Dallas team looking for clarity after three consecutive five-win seasons to start the new millennium.
The relationship with Parcells came full circle in 2010, when Campbell, who ended his playing career after spending time in New Orleans in 2009, joined Miami's staff, and Parcells remained in the front office until retiring the following season. That ultimately led to his first head coaching opportunity when the Dolphins fired Joe Philbin early in the 2015 season.
“Dan was great. I think Dan was a tough guy. He was a leader. He loved football. He had a passion for football,” Witten told ESPN in 2015. Work that focuses on the present and makes today great. He embodies that in the way he plays, and I'm sure he does that as a coach as well. ”
It's no different than Campbell, who tore up Glen Rose's turf (and baseball dirt), as this week's WFAA report looks back at the impact the major players of his career have had on the area. The visit has some Cowboy supporters considering voting against the starred helmet when Campbell takes the Lions to Arlington on Sunday afternoon (12 p.m. CT, CBS).
“No matter what he played, it was intense and passionate,'' said Campbell's mother, Betty, who will wear the Lions jersey Campbell has worn for three seasons after this weekend's road trip to Dallas at AT&T Stadium. It's planned. “You knew he was going to be a leader. (He) had that kind of personality.”
“He was a lot of fun to coach,” Glen Rose track and field coaching staff Richard Dye said of Campbell. “Frankly, I've never coached anyone like that in my life.”
Campbell, currently in his second season as the Lions' full-time manager, will return to Texas for the first time as head coach on Sunday. His hiring in Detroit provides another connection with Big Tuna, who reportedly coveted a job with the Lions during his career.
If a coaching moment had a big impact on winning in the NFL standings, Lions fans would probably book tickets to the Super Bowl. Campbell's combination of passion, intensity, emotion and humor makes this harrowing series a surprise for the HBO show “Hard Knocks,” which annually profiles his NFL training camps with select teams. was a relatively easy choice.
Alas, Campbell's seats may feel hotter than July in Arlington. Parcells famously declared, “You are what you are,'' and Campbell currently has a record of 9-24-1 as Detroit's manager.
A lively press conference is always welcome, but then again, they've never won a Super Bowl.
Campbell faces this challenge as expected. He tackles it head-on with the bravado, emotion, and sincerity that he's used to invoking when he finds himself in a hard-wired predicament.
“I'm not disappointed,'' Campbell said as the 1-4 Lions advanced from a bye. ”
In another quotable passage, Campbell told his players after a heartbreaking 28-24 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, “A failure isn't a failure unless you learn from it.” Gridiron comedians will scoff that Detroit has plenty of fodder for such a thing, but Campbell isn't about to back down from his passionate stance.
“Let's get better. Let's focus on the details. That's what matters,” he said.
Cowboys fans…including the average person who loves Campbell…just hope they don't play their team on Sunday.
Geoff Magliochetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags
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