Tracy Walker III spent six seasons with the Detroit Lions after being drafted by the franchise in 2018. The former Lions safety is no longer on the roster, which makes what he said about HC Dan Campbell even more meaningful.

Walker opened up about his relationship with Campbell, and he did not hold back.

"Dan is amazing, actually," Walker said. "Dan, great coach, very smart, very intellectually smart about football. But just outside of that, he's very caring, very welcoming."

Campbell is a former NFL player himself, having played tight end in the league for nine seasons before transitioning into coaching. Walker believes that background is exactly what makes him different from most head coaches, as Walker revealed in a candid interview.

"He's very family-oriented. He's a former player. That in itself speaks for him because he understands what it's like, what we go through week in and week out with our bodies, with our minds, life in itself. And he was very understanding in that aspect."

Walker then got personal about a moment that stayed with him long after his time in Detroit. He talked about how understanding and supportive Campbell had been when both of his sons were born.

"It was even to where I had both my sons under Dan. And when it was time, hey, family first, you know. And I'll never ever take that for granted because when he was doing that for me, I appreciate that so much."

Walker's words revealed how much respect he had for the Lions' coach.

"I would never, ever talk bad on him because he's one of the best human beings I've ever been around," Walker concluded.

Walker also overcame a season-ending Achilles injury in 2022 during his time in Detroit. Doctors told him it would take 10 to 12 months to recover. He was back running in four and a half months and went on to play all 17 games the following season.

What Walker's Words Say About Campbell's Culture in Detroit

These were not the words of a player trying to stay in the good books. Walker hasn't been with the Lions since 2023. There is nothing he had to gain from saying any of this publicly.

It just cemented the fact that Campbell has built something real in Detroit. The Lions made back-to-back playoff appearances in 2023 and 2024 and developed a locker room identity built on accountability and trust.

Walker's confession was a window into what that looks like from the inside. According to him, Campbell was a coach who cared for players even beyond the field and left a mark on their lives.

For a franchise that spent years searching for stability, hearing a former player speak this freely and this warmly about their head coach tells you everything about the bonds Campbell has built in Detroit.

What are your thoughts on Tracy Walker's comments about Dan Campbell?

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Written by

Farheen Fathima

Edited by

Arundhoti Palit