As the Detroit Lions near the end of their first week of 2025 training camp, head coach Dan Campbell offered a confident assessment of his team, describing the group as a roster full of “alphas.”
Speaking to reporters Saturday morning, Campbell highlighted the team’s competitiveness and work ethic during drills, signaling the tone he hopes to set throughout camp.
“It’s the best… we have a group of alphas and for those guys to continue to just compete and sharpen each other and work – for example, our one-on-one tackle drill yesterday, David and Jack,” Campbell said. “You know, the first one David gets him cold and then man, here we go, rep two, Jack learned a little something and he shaved the cone there, but he learnt from it. He came back, competed and got better and man, I said it yesterday… this is how you continue to raise the floor and you get better and better.”
Campbell’s comments reflect the intensity of Detroit’s early camp sessions as the team aims to rebound from a disappointing end to an otherwise dominant 2024 season. The Lions finished the regular season with a 15-2 record, the best in the NFC, but were eliminated at home in the Divisional Round by the Washington Commanders.
Dan Campbell sets high standard as core Lions return with ‘alpha’ mindset for 2025 season
Detroit returns a strong core in 2025, including quarterback Jared Goff, wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, running back Jahmyr Gibbs, and defensive end Aidan Hutchinson. The group is expected to lead the franchise in its pursuit of a deeper postseason run after two straight playoff appearances under Campbell.
Campbell, entering his fifth season as head coach, has guided the Lions to consecutive winning seasons for the first time in over a decade. His leadership style has helped transform the team’s identity, emphasizing toughness, accountability, and internal competition.
The “alpha” label appears to encapsulate Campbell’s expectations for this year’s roster — one built on physicality and resilience. The coach’s example involving David Montgomery and Jack Campbell during a one-on-one drill serves as a snapshot of the intensity shaping camp.
Detroit’s coaching staff and front office continued to add depth this offseason while maintaining the team’s core. The Lions also bring back several key veterans on both sides of the ball while integrating a new class of rookies expected to contribute immediately.
With training camp underway and preseason approaching, Campbell’s message is clear: the foundation is strong, and the standard is high. The 2025 Lions are being shaped not only by talent, but by internal drive — something Campbell believes can only come from having “a group of alphas.”
Detroit opens the preseason in early August and will look to carry the momentum from training camp into another strong regular-season push. Expectations remain high as Campbell and his team aim to finish what they started.