By Sunday 
Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell isn’t backing down from football’s physical roots — and he’s definitely not jumping on the bandwagon to ban the tush push.
As the Lions prepare to face the Philadelphia Eagles this Sunday, Campbell made it clear he’s standing by the old-school way of doing things. His message? Let the game stay rough, tough, and real.
“I’m a purist,” Campbell said. “You take something else out of the game, then we’re taking the next thing out of the game, then we take another thing out of the game, and pretty soon we don’t have pads anymore. Then pretty soon it’s, we’re only playing 30 minutes.”
💪 The Grit Behind the Game
Campbell isn’t one to shy away from the grind. The Lions even voted against banning the tush push this offseason — a clear sign that their head coach believes football should be settled on the field, not in league meetings.
He continued:
“It’s something a team’s got a niche, they’ve found something, they’re good at it, and it’s for everybody else to stop. It’s unique and it’s physical and more than anything I just don’t want to take anything else out of the game.”
For Campbell, it’s about respecting the essence of the sport. The Eagles found a play that works — so it’s on everyone else to counter it, not cry foul.
🏈 Lions vs. Eagles: Talk Meets Test
Now comes the true test. On Sunday night, Detroit’s defense will get its shot to stop the very play their coach defended so passionately. The tush push has powered Philadelphia’s short-yardage dominance — but Campbell’s crew has been built to fight, not flinch.
Whether they stop it or not, one thing’s for sure: Campbell’s brand of football isn’t going anywhere. He’s not just coaching a team; he’s protecting the spirit of the game.