Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell got honest about the outcome of their preseason game against the Los Angeles Chargers, and gave a stern warning to his roster on how people in his team are expected to play.
In a press interview, Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell did not hold back on his feelings on how the preseason game against the Chargers went for his team.
“You want to win the game,” Campbell said. You also want to play really well, you know, and we didn’t do that,” Campbell said. “So that’s the frustrating part of it, but like I said, we’re going to learn from it. We’re going to be able to coach off of this tape and help some of these guys get better, and that’ll serve us well. And I would expect us to play much better next week, these guys that played in this game.”
Campbell also reiterated that at no point would giving away the ball be tolerated under his watch.
“We turned it over five times, and then we didn’t get any takeaways. So that’s hard just from that standpoint when you put your defense in that kind of position. You’re wearing Lions gear, you’ve got to take care of the ball, or it’s going to be hard to keep you around.”
The Chargers overwhelmed the Lions 34–7 in the Hall of Fame Game preseason opener in Canton, racing to a 14–0 lead on the strength of three first-half takeaways—including an opening-kickoff fumble recovery and a 60-yard interception return setup—and never looking back.
Dan Campbell to Start with Hendon Hooker in Preseason Game
Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell said the team will turn over the first half of its next preseason game against the Atlanta Falcons to quarterback Hendon Hooker, signaling a continued evaluation of the third-year passer for the backup role behind Jared Goff.
Despite his modest debut—completing three of six throws for just 18 yards, tossing an interception and absorbing two sacks in a 34-7 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers—Hooker earned another extended look from the staff.
Campbell clarified that veteran Kyle Allen will take the reins for the second half to round out the evaluation process. The move highlights Detroit’s commitment to a thorough quarterback competition.
With the Falcons exhibition looming, Dan Campbell and the Lions will look for clearer evidence of Hooker’s growth under live-game conditions to inform their depth-chart decisions. The coaching staff will closely monitor his poise, decision-making and ability to stretch the field, factors that could ultimately determine who secures the No. 2 quarterback spot.
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