Dan Campbell goes out of his way to credit Chris Spielman’s hard work

On Saturday morning, Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell opened his press conference with a serious tone he usually saves for dire news. Thankfully, Campbell wasn’t preparing the room for something bad. Instead, he wanted to share his appreciation for someone he believes has been underappreciated and overlooked.

“I don’t speak a lot about him, but Chris Spielman, man, he does a lot for us,” Campbell said. “He’s kind of a little bit unseen and not always heard on the outside, but I’ll tell you what, he’s an important confidant and I’m glad he’s here.”

Spielman, who played linebacker for the Lions from 1988 to 1995, was hired by the organization in 2020 and played an “integral role” in the hiring of both general manager Brad Holmes and Campbell himself. Since then, he was given the title of Special Assitant to President/CEO and Chairperson. His role is constantly shifting, from helping set a new culture for the franchise to helping scout college talent to being a pair of extra eyes on the practice field to even assisting on the business side of operations.

For Campbell specifically, he appreciates having a person around who won’t be a yes-man.

“He’s somebody that certainly helps keeps me straight,” Campbell continued. “Tells me what I need to hear, not what I want to hear. So I’ve always appreciated that about him. I just wanted to get that off my chest.”

“I don’t give him enough credit, and he needs it,” Campbell continued. “Not for him, because he’s not looking for it, but he just does.”