New Coach Dan Campbell Says The Lions Will ‘Bite A Kneecap Off’ To Play Tougher Than Their Opponent

New head coach press conferences in the NFL are the ultimate environment for Football Guys to be Football Guys, and there is no better example than the description given about the Lions’ identity by new head coach Dan Campbell, who quite vividly went detail by detail about how Detroit will out-tough their opponents on the football field.

“When you punch us back, we’re going to smile at you,” Campbell told reporters. “And when you knock us down, we’re going to get up, and on the way up, we’re going to bite a kneecap off, alright?”

Campbell either put a lot of thought into how to describe how that process will play out or is just really imaginative when it comes to the role that knees play in metaphorical football fights. Either way, the dialogue was certainly something that Lions fans won’t forget anytime soon.

For Campbell, it seems to be all in good fun, as the longtime Saints and Dolphins assistant just truly leans into being a Football Guy in all capacities of life. The sign outside his new office names him as the head coach but also “The Dude” in a nod to Jeff Bridges’ character in The Big Lebowski.

While Matt Patricia brought his own ideas about toughness and backward hats to the Lions’ organization, Campbell wants to set the precedent early that Detroit will be known for scrapping under his watch.