Green Light with Chris Long - Detroit's Jack Campbell On The Lions' Defense & Earning Dan Campbell's Trust

Episode Date: August 29, 2025

Jack Campbell, the Detroit Lions stud middle linebacker, joins Chris from Lions training camp and talks just straight football. This guy is a man on a mission this season. He's ready to lead the defense and prepared to help get the Lions to the Super Bowl promised land. Dan Campbell entrusted Jack with the green dot this season, the playcaller on defense and he's earned the distinction. Jack talks about growing up in Iowa, playing for the Hawkeyes, being drafted to the Detroit Lions, learning from Jared Goff and wearing camo to the Lions halloween event. A great player and a great interview, enjoy! Have some interesting takes, some codebreaks or just want to talk to the Green Light Crew? We want to hear from you. Call into the Green Light Hotline and give us your hottest takes, your biggest gripes and general thoughts. Day and night, this hotline is open. Green Light Hotline: ‪[phone]‬ Also, check out our paddling partners at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Appomattox River Company ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠to get your canoes, kayaks and paddleboards so you're set to hit the river this summer. Green Light's ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, where you can catch all the latest GL action: Green Light with Chris Long: Subscribe and enjoy weekly content including podcasts, documentaries, live chats, celebrity interviews and more including hot news items, trending discussions from the NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, NCAA are just a small part of what we will be sharing with you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Anybody who steps out on the field, and if you're going to come out here and play tough, play physical, play hard, like, I have nothing but respect for you. JG is the best at throwing, like, the deep dagger at, like, 18 to 22 yards. He can get it right over the top of you, but right in front of the safety. I mean, he's unbelievable at that, but also at the same time, being able to step up and take the leadership role that I need to do to make sure this defense is in the proper position to ultimately get us to the Super Bowl. Would you ride a bowl? When I'm done, like I think I'm going to be done like my body up. Welcome to the Green Light podcast. Jack Campbell, our final Detroit Lions training camp interview is on the show today.

A great conversation with Chris. Jack talks about earning the green dot from Dan Campbell and earning Coach Campbell's trust, being an Iowa football guy, needing to upgrade his swag on game day, and the toughest running backs to go against. A good chat between the fellas. Enjoy it. and have a great weekend. I've enjoyed watching you play the last couple of years.

And Jack Campbell's our guest, he walked up. I said, damn, that can't be a linebacker. Guys, you got a little Erlacker in you, man. I feel like, yeah, nowadays, like, I feel like I go out there and all the linebackers are just like five, ten, six, four. They saw it off. 220. Yeah.

It's a dying breed, I feel like. Hell yeah, man. Hell yeah. So I'm just trying to represent for the, for the, for the, linebackers the bigger linebackers yes old school looking dudes hell yeah man and you wear number 46 yeah i like that decision by you brother it's uh what went into that decision well i got i got drafted here and uh like the the first thing is is like when you get drafted to ask what number you want and i'm like honestly because high school and college i went and i'm just like give me whatever

yeah so i'm like do the same thing give me whatever and i got 46 and i like 46 when you first saw 46 like it kind of looks a little i think it looks a little odd out there no i actually think it looks cool you do i actually do i've never once watched you play and thought man that guy looks like shitty out there i appreciate and 31 was the one 31 was the iowa that's a good number too yeah i wanted 31 if 31 was available i probably would have taken 31 but then kirby joseph has it and i'm like i'm i'm one i'm not spending my money on buying a number and two he can have it i'll just how much money you think it would have been oh shit with kirby i don't know Yeah, it could have been north of six figures.

Yeah, it could have been north of six figures. You have a hard bargain. Yeah, no, exactly. They put me in 72 as a rookie, which is pretty hideous, but I tried to make it work. Where did you get drafted? So I got, I got drafted to St. Louis, Midwest. Okay. So, but they gave me, they gave me 72, and I couldn't wait to get out of it.

Yeah. As soon as 91 retired, I was like, you're ready. So I heard you say you got, on the topic, you said you got the least swag. You don't think you have any swag out there? I don't know a lot of my teammates joke that I don't have a lot of swag. But I've never been into like, so I'm from Iowa. So I'm like middle-west. I understand.

When you grow up there, like your dad, your grandpa, all the kids you play high school football with, like, no one's got arm bands. No one wears leggings. Still? I mean, maybe it's changed by nowadays. But like when I was growing up, no one had the leggings. No one had the visors. Yeah. And I feel like that's just like been in.

Like my dad, oh my God. If I wore tight, he'd throw a fit. With anyone in my time of Iowa, I've like, all the older linebackers who came before me, Iowa who played in the NFL, like they will always make fun, like they'll make fun of you if you wear that shit. They'll give you shit. Yeah, so, yeah, I can't do that. That sounds like hate to me, bro.

Here's what I got. After I heard you had, you didn't like your swag necessarily. You thought you had a low swag. Yeah. This is for your consideration. This is what it could be. We've made this edit. Okay.

This is you. Number one, switch up the number. Yeah, what do you think about that? With a visor, a nice face mask. Yeah, nice face mask. Show the people. Is that camera? What do you think?

What do you guys think? Is that recognizable? The arm band. Jack Campbell makes that work? And the neon gloves. That'd be, maybe one of these games, I might pull it out. Maybe after that big contract coming your way in a couple of years. Oh, no.

I ain't even think about that right now. Good deal. Well, so what was your first purchase? My first purchase, what a house? and then I got married so I bought a wedding ring that that's like buying a house yeah and then my my first farm purchase though I recently purchased a farm nice yeah working farm uh it's like a wreck farm like a hunting farm yeah okay how many acres you got I got like 320 and what do you what kind of recreation you like I'm gonna like hunt like deer hunting turkey hunting yeah turkey

it's like for my family to enjoy too that's awesome just because like they give me so much and like growing up like we just love that was being outdoors yeah and now we have like our own place so i'm really excited about that's awesome trying to get my wife into it did you get a big tractor yet not yet i'm working on that right now husky i'm working i'll work on that in the office okay cool cool cool but i can see you bush hog in your field to to pass the time no exactly i know that's the thing i got to find something to do in the off season oh yeah dude cut the grass man no i know all right so coach campbell he just sat in that chair and um he thinks the world of you obviously and I know you guys had a conversation at the beginning of the year where he's like,

I'm handing you the keys to the defense. You're going to wear the green dot. How does that conversation go and what are the considerations when it comes to being that kind of guy who's getting the call and having to deal with everything, the bullets flying? What's the first thing on your mind when you have that conversation? No, he came up to me and he said that. And, I mean, for me, going into my third year, like,

drafted here, same head coach, same, like, defense. Like, everything's kind of the same. So it's kind of nice having some familiarity, like coming into this year. And then when he came up and said that, I was just super excited for the opportunity. Yeah. But like I'm not going to put so much pressure on myself to be someone who I'm not. Yeah. Like I'm not going to like ever since I got here, I'm going to be the same person that I was when I stepped in the door.

So I feel like when he said that to me, I would like have to remind myself to like, I don't need to be nobody else but myself. And that's what I've been trying to do every single day is just be consistent. for me, like, I really just pride myself being physical in the run game, but also being able to play the pass. And that's what I, that's what I'm starting with. And then just, I got to build connections with the guys. And it starts from, like, the DB room to the D-Line room. And it's nice because the line, you just hang out all the time in meetings and stuff.

So when he told me that, I mean, it's a huge honor. But at the same time, I'm not going to, like, let that. Because a bunch of people ask me, like, is that pressure? Like is that too much pressure? Like I'm just going to continue to be the same person. It's not going to be perfect. Yeah. There's going to be days I fall short.

Yeah. And there's going to be days where it's really good. But it's like, how can I just stay steady and consistent? And I feel like that's kind of how like coming from Iowa and then also playing for Coach Ferrence at Iowa. Yeah. Like he preaches that. So just kind of staying true to myself. But also at the same time, being able to step up and take the leadership role that I need to do.

Yeah. To make sure this defense is in the in the, in the process. proper position to ultimately get us to the Super Bowl because, I mean, the last two years, it's been kind of a tough way to end the season. So we just need to finish. Well, last year, and I think everybody certainly understood, it doesn't make it any easier, but y'all are bringing people off the street to play, meaningful snaps and big games, like just how crazy was it onboarding cats. Yeah. Yeah, it was crazy because you guys get, you get, I don't remember the exact day that the new guys can come in for that week.

I think it might be Monday or Tuesday. I can't remember. So Tuesday? He used to be the Grim Reaper. Oh, really? Oh, that's not good. Yeah, right? Stay away from him.

I think you're safe. I hope I'm safe. So it'd be Tuesday, and we just get, this is like a busload of, like, new guys dropped off. And I'll never forget, we are playing Thanksgiving at home against Green Bay. And Dan's up in a team meeting, and he's saying that this is going to be the most memorable game you guys ever playing. Game plan is going to be simple. Yeah. Just go out there and let it rip in defense.

Just go. I don't care. He doesn't care about nothing. Just play hard. Yeah. And for me, thank goodness, I didn't get hurt. But I was out there and I'm looking to my left and my right. And these are guys who just show up on Tuesday.

What's your name? What's your name? Yeah. And I'm just like, it'll be covered too. And I'm just like telling this guy, hey, like this is your landmark. You're good. Yeah. Like, Ron, just go get the ball down.

Like I don't like. And for me, that was also another step for me. like it just opened my eyes just how much like you got to take care of your body but at the same time it's like you just got to play free out there and I feel like that's where I'm trying to take the most steps for myself is just continue to like let it rip and take some chances sometimes yeah but at the same time that week was just crazy and when we won that game I'll never free that was honestly one of my favorite pro games regular season wise was coming out there with a win with a bunch of guys who were just throwing their bodies around and who you might be.

might not play with a lot longer. No, exactly. I know. We're here today. It's crazy. And Dan just does us such a good job. Like, it starts at the top. Like, he wasn't going to let nobody make an excuse.

Right. Because, like, everyone outside was like, oh, they're hurt. They can't win games. We were hurting. We won 15 games. Yeah. I was definitely proud of those guys just stepping in and just letting it rip. And I respect.

Anybody who steps out on the field and if you're going to come out here and play tough, play physical, play hard, like, I have nothing but respect for you. Yeah. Because, I mean, you know how hard it is to go out here and take on a double team and stay in their gap. It's hard for the guys who have been doing it for 10 years. Exactly. And these guys came on on Tuesday and they're going to do it. So, yeah.

Yeah, that year, the last year was a little bit weird in that way. Man, I think about the Amique Robertson game where he was on Jefferson. Yeah, he's just like, man, like these guys are just. Yeah, I mean, he's just another guy. I have the ultimate respect. Yeah. Like, he's just a competitor. Yeah.

Like, he might get beat one or ever. but he's going to keep pressing you. He's going to keep trying to jam you at the line. Meek's just such a great guy. He's just such a great addition for our team. And I feel like he embodies what, like, this defense is going to be this year. How's Jared Goff make you smarter? Yeah.

So, yeah, J.G., it's crazy because when you come from college, like, these are the best 32 quarterbacks in the world that you're playing with now. And, like, if you're not directly on a landmark or, you didn't get enough depth. JG is the best at throwing like the deep dagger at like 18 to 22 yards. He can get it right over the top of you, but right in front of the safety.

Yeah, I mean, he's unbelievable at that. So, I mean, his accuracy is unbelievable. But like the thing I appreciate about him is like after practice, he'll come up, he'll ask me like what I was in, and then he'll share his thoughts on it. I've always appreciated about him just trying to not only help the offense, but push me because I'm, still growing. I'm still learning. And it's just going to help me when I get into a game situation.

I can kind of expect what a quarterback's like kind of going through when he sees, say they go man's own ID, like, and then kill, like they're going to kill the play and then they're going to get something to be a perfect play for that concept. Or if we're showing cover zero, like what's the hot throw? Like stuff like that. Yeah. And I've always appreciated about them. He'll be able to pull me off to the side after practice. and talk me through, like, how he sees things. Yeah. Which is super beneficial because he doesn't have to do it.

Yeah. But he just genuinely, I feel like he genuinely loves football, but he genuinely wants the end goal. He wants to win the Super Bowl, and that's the main focus. That's what it takes, though. When guys start communicating with each other at the lunch table and you're talking ball, like on the bus, like, and offense and deep, like, that's when you're on a great team. Exactly.

And it feels like you are building that. No doubt. And the culture here's been just amazing. So who's the uh, I know it's held covering Gibbs. Yeah. Is what's the hardest route to cover him on? It's just his option. Just a simple option around.

Yeah. I mean, when he, when, when I see him walk like stacking the tackle, like I already know, like he's getting out. Yeah. And then he comes out square shoulders. He's got a two-way go in and out. And I mean, he's, he is, I will say he's the best at that little option around in the NFL. Yeah. Just his ability to make a cut.

but also set you up. And for me, like, 6-5, like, $2.50 against that. It's amazing. I got a, I really have to, like, focus on my fundamentals. And I can't be one step off, because if I'm one step off, he's going to get me. Well, yeah. And if, like, I had a little experience cover in running backs, it was like, man, you don't want to, you don't want to be too far outside, man. It's easy for them to low you towards the sideline.

And then you're- Then snap right back inside. Yeah, you're cooked. Yeah. And you've got to, like, run the fine line of, like, going to get him, but, like, not going too aggressive because then he'll, like, flip his shoulders square and you'll lunge and you'll miss him and he'll make you look bad. I mean, it's, but it's been great, like, being able to go against him and practice. Yeah. Because then when I go out there on game day, I mean, there's still a bunch of really talented running backs in the NFL, but being able to defend an option route, like I've seen the best of it. So, I mean, and you can go down the roster, too, like, at the tight-in position. at the receiver position. Sam, Sam.

Yeah, I mean, yeah, it's crazy. I'm so happy for him. He's just such a, he's a great player. He's such a legend. Yeah. Yeah. He's unbelievable. And how about y'all, like iron sharpening iron in practice?

Oh, it's true. And you all known each other a long time. It's amazing. Coming from Iowa, like, we predominantly play zoned. Yeah. Like zone coverage. And so now coming here, we run a little bit more man than I, I, than I've. Well, I understand why you play zone at Iowa.

There's a lot of white corners there. I know, a bunch of dogs. They've been, they've turned out pretty. good though. I was just on, I was just on the exciting mics. Oh, were you? With Cooper and Reed. He's such a good guy. Man, that dude's a savage. Oh, he's unbelievable. What do he can do athletically's insane? Him and I was there for Riley Moss. Yeah. Oh, my gosh. What the hell's going on? Oh, my gosh. Those guys are, oh, there's unbelievable. That's crazy, dude. Well, yeah, we got to keep producing there. So who's the toughest tackle in football? I know there's probably a couple different

types of tough tackles because like you know i'm sure josh jacobs is like bring your lunch pail and these guys that like you barely touch him no i know yeah who are the guys that stand out to you um the guys that i have played so i can speak on personally i would say yeah josh jacobs is up there he's a dog he i mean his ability to he can do power and he is elusiveness um i have a lot of respect him i've a lot respect for uh i believe kenneth walker in seattle oh hell yeah um i love how he plays um He's a true three-down running back. Again, reminds me Josh Jacobs can run you over but can also beat you with speed. Have you played Derek Henry yet?

I haven't. I play him and sayquan this year. He's going to tweak you out, looking at him, and you're going to be high-to-eye. Yeah, he's going to be as big as me. It's going to be insane. Dude on end zone, yeah. Like some of the games, like on end-zone film, he looks bigger than the linemen back there. It's crazy.

Let's go, baby. I cannot wait to get ready to roll. I cannot wait to see that. So, yeah, I'm excited. And then I'll say, I'll give you guys one more. Let's go. David Montgomery, he's a sleeper. And I get to go against him in practice.

So that helps me a lot, too. But on another team, I'll go James Cook. He's so elusive. He's got paid. Yeah. I think he's pretty good as well. Yeah. I mean, he would get the ball in space with him.

It's a tough tackle for sure. Well, we had Bijon last week. And that group kind of reminds me y'all's group up front of the way that their run scheme goes. And I actually asked him about it. Like everybody there is kind of building what they do off of y'all. So it's kind of cool now. Y are like the blueprint. That's crazy.

And you also have a coaching tree now with AG gone. Yeah, it's great. Yeah. So Ben. All right. So I heard a story about your rookie show. Yeah. Okay.

Who told you this story? Did you? I live out in the woods. You see. Yeah. I had to do that. How was it? It went good.

I think. It went good. I'm so bad at singing, though. Like I just went up there Did you do karaoke I just screamed it though I just yelled it out And I was just up there

And I feel like half the room appreciated it And then there was a couple people in there Who wanted it to stop immediately Yeah for sure Dude you didn't I was Yeah

Looking back I don't know if that was like The best choice But they said you were in like a deer stand Oh that was a Halloween costume That was a Halloween costume Yeah Halloween costumes

Hell yeah Because like I thought at first It was a joke Like, rookies wear Halloween costumes in this team meeting. Yeah. And then it's like, it's like 10 minutes before the team meeting. They're like, no, like, you have to. Yeah.

And like, I'm just like, gosh, dang it. So, because I didn't bring anything. Yeah. So I'm like, all right. I start thinking, I'm like, I have my binoculars in my truck. I have boots in my truck. Yep. And I have my camo sweatshirt in my truck.

So I'm just going to be, I'll just be, I say I'm hunting. So I went out. Yeah, hopefully. Yeah, the NFL doesn't want to. I won't say anything else. No, no. The NFL can, I mean, if I, I have no weapons. I can turn us out of, I can turn us out of here.

What kind of music do you listen to now? Now, because I'm a country fan too, but. Yeah, I like, I like country. I can listen to a lot of genres, though. Like, I'm open to everything. I'm trying to think of some like, like, I like Big X to Plug. I love Big X to Plug, dude. He's far.

We saw him at the Super Bowl. Yeah. We saw him at the Super Bowl. Yeah, Big X is a man. I'm trying to think. But do you like, when you listen to country, do you listen to new or old? Because I thought that was an interesting choice. I can mix it up.

Yeah. I mix it. I like, nowadays, like, I like Luke Colt. Like, all the guys, Luke Combs. He seems cool. Like Stephen Wilson, Jr. He's a dog. And then, like, older guys, like, I love Alan Jackson.

Oh, he's a man. Oh, my gosh. Unbelievable. I like Zach Topp. He's new, but he sounds old school. He's incredible. He's got a lot of good songs too. He's a Bengals fan though.

Is he? Yeah. Oh, shit. You get into Billy Strings yet? Any what? Billy Strings? Oh, Billy Strings? I've heard him on YouTube.

I haven't got it. You need to go to a show. Really? His shows are amazing. Yeah. Yeah. He's more, uh, he has the, yeah, he has the little, like, the pick thing. He'd like pick it.

Hell yeah. Yeah. So before a game for you, it's Big X the plug. Oh, before the game? My go-to song is open the gate by the game. the gate by Zach Brine. Okay. It's like a song about, like, this dude who rides a bull.

Yeah. He's riding this bull that this bull killed his dad. And he's like, he's like singing this song about how like he's going to be like just like, like, he's going to like ride the, ride the hell out of this bull like for his dad. Yeah. And I just like that song. And it just gets me going. Would you, would you ride a bull after your career?

I mean. I wouldn't let you ride a bull right now. Yeah. I don't know. I just invested in a rodeo, bro. Did you? Yeah. Good for you.

You got to come out. I would love to. I've, that's one thing I've never done. I've never been to a rodeo. And I haven't been into like horse riding or like bull riding. Yeah, I'm not necessarily getting on.

I don't know if like it depends. Like it's fun to watch. When I'm done, like I think I'm going to be done like fucking my body up. Yeah. Like that's, that's, that's, maybe I want to, but like then I'm going to have to think about it because I'm like, I just went through this coming from Iowa. where all we do is just run and do each other every single day.

Yeah. And now we're here in Detroit. And it's very similar. Yeah. Just because, like, you have to do that to win games, I feel like. It's car accidents. Yeah. It's a bunch of car accidents.

So when I'm done, like, I'm not going to, like, lie to you guys and be like, I would get on a bull. Like, I would definitely think about it. And if I did get on a bull, I would definitely, like, wear a helmet and all the past. Hell yeah, dude. Yeah. No chance. So what are your goals for this year personally? personally and what can y'all do obviously stay healthy is one thing that you know you just can't control

but like what can y'all do as a team take that next step um i would say the goals for this year personally for me is to just take the next step in my play yeah i feel like the last two years uh i'm i'm i i like i like i like i like the like i'm a deep thinker like when it comes and i like everything to be perfect and i'm kind of like high strong so for me i feel like i feel like like this year is like I just want to like go out there and play free. Yeah. And like honestly that's my goal because if I go out there and play free, everything else will take care of itself.

And then also I just want to be able to to lead well. I want to earn respect to the guys in the locker room, which I feel like up to this point I have. But I just want all the guys in the locker room to know like that I'll always put them before myself. And I feel like that's something like I pride myself on too. It's just being able to be the guy that no matter the situation, no matter whatever, like I'll wear the hard hat if someone else, like, can't do it.

So, like, that's just been my focus. And then I feel like as a team, obviously the goal is to win the Super Bowl. Oh, yeah. But when you look at it, like, you got to scope it down into smaller things. And it truly is week by week. You got to take it one game at a time. And I feel like for us, it's getting off to a fast start and it's being able to finish. Division games off the bat, too.

Yeah, division games off the bat. Like, those are going to be critical. We have a hell of a schedule this year. It'll be fun. You've got to go up against the best. And at the end of the day, the main thing is, is we get into the playoffs and we're ready to go. Because you got to, you know, like, peeking at the right time. Everyone talks about that in sports.

It's not who you play. It's when you play them. Exactly. And it's like, we got to be able to do that consistently. And then once it leads later into the season, being able to play our best football and and carry that over into the playoffs because obviously last year, it was a very tough situation. And hats off to the guys across from us.

They game planned us and they did a hell of a job. So it's being able to adapt and change gameplay in weekend and week out and being able to mentally and physically take care of that. I feel like that's the main thing that we got to focus on this year. And I'm excited. We're off to a really good start. And I feel like, especially with the new coordinators, that's been good.

And we're doing a few like little things. things but at the same time we're I'm I'm really excited it's gonna be a fun year so was a guy that used to worry a lot and be high strung yeah don't waste your time worry I know that's a thing and and also you already said it leaders are themselves yeah and you got plenty just being yourself I mean you've obviously earned the respect to everybody here so I wish you luck this year I really appreciate and enjoy watching you play big dog thank you yeah yeah thanks for coming on try to do it the right way so yes sir you do