Dan Campbell lobbied for Lions' black jerseys, got them as reward for winning NFC North
The Lions unveiled new uniforms on Thursday, including black jerseys that they'll wear for some home games. Coach Dan Campbell is pleased.
Lions President Rod Wood revealed that Campbell has been lobbying for the Lions to bring back black jerseys — which Campbell himself wore when he played for the Lions — since he was hired. Wood shared a story of discussing it with Campbell during the 2021 NFL draft, shortly after Campbell was hired.
"We're in the draft room literally months into his tenure — and he wore the black when he was here — and he said, 'Rod, when can we get the black jerseys back?' I said, 'I'll make a deal, when you win the division I'll bring the black jerseys back.' So I went out on a limb, and thankfully, he delivered. That's a true story," Wood told reporters.
Wood said that Campbell and his teammates were big fans of the black jerseys during his tenure as a tight end for the Lions.
"He loved them. When he was here he wore them, and it was the team's favorite at the time, and he pined for it again, and for him it's a throwback to when he was a player," Wood said.
The Lions' division title last year was their first in three decades, and Campbell appears to have the franchise on firmer ground than it's been on at any point since the 1950s. What Campbell wants he gets, and that includes black jerseys.
