Dan Campbell Responds To The Backlash From His Infamous “Knee Caps” Speech

“And when you knock us down, we’re going to get up. And on the way up, we’re going to bite a knee cap off. All right? And we’re going to stand up and it’s going to take two more shots to knock us down. All right?”

“And on the way up, we’re going to take your other knee cap. And we’re going to get up and it’s going to take three shots to get us down. And when we do, we’re going to take another hunk out of you. Before long, we’re going to be the last one’s standing,” Dan Campbell said in his fiery speech.

The Lions new coach Dan Campbell is the definition of a #FootballGuy @BSMotorCity pic.twitter.com/4aZdMbNFOx

— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) January 21, 2021

I wasn’t alone when I found this whole speech to be a little bizarre. Most new coaches will use their introductory presser to introduce themselves to the fans, share their vision for the team, talk about expectations, etc. Campbell seems like he just said “f**k it”…I’m just going to get up on the podium and spew.

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Dan Campbell stands by his rant, and says he has no problem with critics thinking he’s a “meathead”.

“I said this to Chris [Spielman] the other day, I was like, ‘I love the fact we’re only known as meatheads,’” Campbell said, via Kyle Meinke of MLive.com. “I’m a meathead? I have limited brain capacity? I like [that people think] that. I’m good with that, you know what I mean? I have zero problem with it.

“That whole press conference was literally for our team and our fans and community and people that want the Lions to succeed. … I want to be in Detroit. I want this job, because I identify with this job. You talk about it fitting like a glove? This thing fits me like no other, because I just feel like I can relate to this. I understand, man. I think I’m kind of a gritty guy, you know? Without trying to toot my own horn, I just know who I am.”

The rebuilding Lions gave Dan Campbell a six year contract, so he’ll have a lot of time to prove that he’s more than just a tough talker. I’m certainly getting some ‘meathead’ vibes, though.

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