Here’s everything Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell said after their 40-34 victory over the San Francisco 49ers:
Opening Statement:
“How’s it going? I’m proud of the guys—they were ready, competed hard, and finished strong. A lot of players had great performances. (Jared) Goff had a big game, the offensive line held up, and guys like (Jahmyr) Gibbs, (Jameson Williams) Jamo, and (Amon-Ra St. Brown) Saint stepped up. Defensively, Kerby (Joseph) made two crucial interceptions, and overall, it was a team effort. We aimed to play complementary football, and we achieved that. I’m really proud of them.”
On Playing Starters Despite Playoff Seeding Being Set:
“These decisions aren’t easy. You can’t fully prepare backup players without knowing how the game will unfold—whether it’s first downs, third downs, or the red zone. For instance, (Hendon) Hooker doesn’t get those reps; Goff does. It wouldn’t be fair to throw in a young player unprepared. Also, we can only sit six players, so deciding who those six are is tough. We came to win, prepared to play, and it felt wrong not to use everything we had. Thankfully, we avoided injuries, and now we focus on what’s next.”
On Kerby Joseph’s Interceptions:
“I’m really proud of Kerby. When it mattered most, he delivered. We’ve been stressing the importance of takeaways, and he came up big—not just with the interceptions but with some key tackles. He stepped up when we needed him, and it made a huge difference.”
On Defensive Readiness for the Playoffs:
“Of course, you’d like to improve in certain areas, but we settled down in the second half. (Defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn) A.G. and the staff did a great job. We focused on creating disruptions and takeaways, which is critical. I feel good because we complement each other—when the offense needs help, the defense steps up, and vice versa. Special teams also play a huge role. We’ll be fine.”
On Considering Resting Starters After the Vikings’ Win:
“Like everyone else, I thought about it early this morning and leading up to the game. But ultimately, I felt the right thing to do was play our starters. We owed it to the team. Sitting players who weren’t prepared to play wouldn’t have been fair. We wanted to clean up last week’s issues—offensively and defensively—and we did that. Takeaways are always valuable moving forward. This is what we do; we embrace the challenge, and we’re ready for what’s next.”
On Finishing 8-0 on the Road:
“It speaks to the kind of players we have—resilient, tough, and built to handle adversity. Going undefeated on the road means you’re a strong team that can overcome challenges. I’m proud of the players, the coaches, and everyone involved. It takes everyone to prepare and play at this level.”
On Penei Sewell’s Injury:
“No concerns—he should be fine.”
