Dan Campbell

Campbell accepted a football scholarship from Texas A&M University. In his last 2 seasons, he shared the tight end position with Derrick Spiller. As a junior, he posted 12 receptions for 143 yards (11.9-yard average) and 2 touchdowns.

As a senior, he started 2 games at the "B" slot, flanker, one game at split end and 2 contests at flanker. He recorded 7 receptions for 68 yards, one touchdown and 3 special teams tackles.[2]

Campbell was selected by the New York Giants in the third round (79th overall) of the 1999 NFL Draft. In 2000, he started 4 games and was a part of the team that appeared in Super Bowl XXXV. In 2001, he became the team's regular starting tight end after passing Howard Cross on the depth chart and was mainly used as a blocking tight end.

In 2002, his blocking helped Kerry Collins throw for a club record 4,073 yards and Tiki Barber rush for the second best total in franchise history 1,387 yards.

Campbell was one of the first free agents to sign with the Dallas Cowboys after Bill Parcells was named the head coach in 2003. He quickly became a team leader and although Jason Witten emerged as the main tight end, he still served as a mentor and remained a key blocker on the offensive line.[3]

In 2004, he only played in three games because of torn ligaments in his foot and was placed on the injured reserve list on September 30. Witten would go on to have one of the best receiving seasons by a tight end in franchise history and received Pro Bowl honors.

In 2005, he recovered from an appendectomy on July 27, missing only 10 days of practice and returned to start all four preseason games.[4] The team employed two-tight end sets, which allowed him to start 12 games alongside Witten.

On March 14, 2006, Campbell was signed as a free agent by the Detroit Lions. Known mostly as a blocking tight end, he posted career-highs in receiving yards (308), average per reception (14.7 avg), long reception (30 yards), and touchdowns (four), the most by a Lions tight end since 2001.

On September 22, 2007, he was placed on injured reserve with an elbow injury.[5] On September 9, 2008, he was again placed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury. He was released on February 9, 2009.

On February 26, 2009, he signed as a free agent with the New Orleans Saints reuniting with head coach Sean Payton who was his offensive coordinator with the Cowboys and the Giants. On August 10, he was placed on injured reserve with an MCL injury he suffered in training camp.[6] He spent the entire season on injured reserve and was not granted a Super Bowl ring by the team when they won Super Bowl XLIV.[7]

In 2010, Campbell began his coaching career when he was hired by the Miami Dolphins as a coaching intern. In 2011, Campbell was promoted to the tight ends coach. Following the firing of the Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin on October 5, 2015, Campbell was named the interim head coach for the remainder of the 2015 season. Campbell led the team to five wins and seven losses.[8]

In January 2016, Campbell was hired by the New Orleans Saints as their assistant head coach and tight ends coach under head coach Sean Payton.[9]

On January 20, 2021, Campbell was hired to become the head coach of the Detroit Lions.[10]