Before the Detroit Lions hired Dan Campbell as head coach, they tried to get another Campbell to take the job.
According to a lengthy ESPN profile on new Penn State coach Matt Campbell, the former Iowa State coach “initially agreed” to coach the Lions in 2021 “before changing his mind,” causing the team to pivot to Dan Campbell.
The Lions’ interest in Matt Campbell was well known and reported at the time, though the team never acknowledged how close it came to making a different hire.
Asked during the video conference to introduce Dan Campbell as coach if the Lions offered Matt Campbell the job, Lions president Rod Wood said, “I’m not going to comment on any college coaches. I think I’ve talked to a couple of you about that, out of respect for their current position and recruiting. I’m not going to say whether we interviewed a college coach or whether we didn’t or whether we extended an offer. I’ll just leave it at, no comment on any college coaches.”
In his opening remarks a few minutes later, Dan Campbell joked about how he ended up getting the job.
“I’m excited to be here beyond belief,” Dan Campbell said. “What I’m going to have to do is make sure that I contain myself, so you may get a couple things where I’m completely out of the screen because I’m moving. I’ll do my best. But I’d say this first, just in regards to the head coach search, how I ended up here, one of things would be that I told my agent, Rick Smith, I said make sure that they think I’m Matt Campbell, so I think that’s how this has really worked out great for me. So now that I’m in the seat, I am Dan Campbell. But I do know this, you can’t go wrong with a Campbell.”
Indeed, while Matt Campbell was well regarded as a coach and program builder at Iowa State – his Cyclones were coming off a Big 12 championship and Fiesta Bowl win when the Lions pursued him for the job – and his Massillon, Ohio, roots mirrored those of Lions executive Chris Spielman, who helped run the search, the Lions hit a home run with their hire of Dan Campbell.
In five seasons as Lions coach, Campbell is 48-36-1 with two NFC North titles and two playoff appearances.
Campbell’s 48 wins are the fourth most in franchise history; he should pass Potsy Clark (53-25-7) and George Wilson (53-45-6) to move into second place behind Wayne Fontes (66-67) this fall. His .571 winning percentage is the best mark of any full-time Lions coach in the Super Bowl era.
And as much as any player, he’s given the Lions their identity as a tough, physical, aggressive team.
Wood told the Free Press in March that hiring Campbell and general manager Brad Holmes was the crowing achievement of his 11 seasons as president.
“The main thing we were looking for with Dan was just a true leader, and I don’t know if there’s a better leader in the NFL,” Wood said.
Penn State is counting on Matt Campbell to make a similar impact on its program after luring him away from Iowa State this winter.
Campbell went 72-55 in 10 seasons with the Cyclones and left as the winningest coach in school history. ESPN reported that he “rebuffed overtures” from USC and Texas along with the Lions during his time at Iowa State.
“Leaving Ames wasn’t something that I was looking to do or wanting to do,” he said.
And Penn State only hired him after missing out on its first choice, BYU coach Kalani Sitake.
Dave Birkett covers the Lions for the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Bluesky, X and Instagram at @davebirkett.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Matt Campbell turned down Lions job that went to Dan Campbell: Report
Reporting by Dave Birkett, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
