Former Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell has finally offered a clear picture of the NFL community, stating his reasons for staying at Iowa State over the Detroit Lions, while speaking on Big Ten Media Days in Chicago.

Matt Campbell says he was looking for an organization that matches his beliefs about culture, leadership, and program building.

Apparently, Detroit was not offering any in 2021. 

“I’m really proud of what we were able to accomplish at Iowa State in our 10 years,” Campbell expressed as quoted by the Detroit Lions on SI. “…And if we were ever going to leave Iowa State, it was going to have to be a school and an institution that really fit how I believe and what I believe, in how you build culture, how you build team, and how you build forward.”

According to detroitsportsnation.com, Matt was offered an eight-year, $ 68.5 M contract. At the time, many NFL pundits considered the possibility that he would not turn down the offer. But he changed his mind in the last hours. 

Matt was considered the replacement for Matt Patricia. The Super Bowl-winning QB Matthew Stafford was about to leave the franchise. Not just this, the Detroit hired their new general manager, Brad Holmes.

Hence, joining the Lions was a bigger risk than staying at Iowa State. 

But this all did make sense, as the Lions had not won a playoff game since 1991. The franchise was constantly making changes in their coaching staff, desperately looking for success. 

But Iowa State offered him credibility, security, and influence.

The turning point of the story was the franchise's decision to move forward with Dan Campbell as its new head coach.

Dan Campbell became the right coach for the Detroit Lions

After Matt Campbell said no to the Lions and continued with his stay at Iowa State, the Detroit Lions hired coach Dan Campbell on January 20, 2021.

The former New Orleans Saints assistant coach Dan Campbell has completely revamped the team’s culture around “GRIT” and an all-in philosophy. 

He publicly acknowledged that the Lions team requires a rebuild.

He talked about toughness and resilience, emphasizing the need to build a team capable of surviving difficult moments.

According to StatMuse, since his arrival in Detroit, the Lions stand at 48-36-1 and have reached the NFC divisional and conference finals.

The Motor City team is set to make its attempt at the Vince Lombardi Trophy for the sixth time under the guidance of head coach Dan Campbell.

Was hiring Dan Campbell a wise choice over Matt Campbell? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.

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Written by

Kunwar Yashaswee Chhaunker