‘Whatever it takes’: Aggies alumni Dan Campbell ensures Josh Reynolds earns bonus in Detroit Lions’ Week 18 win
For some teams around the NFL, Week 18 served as a meaningless regular-season finale unless you had a playoff spot — or money — on the line.
The Detroit Lions clinched the NFC North for the first time in 30 years with a 30-24 victory against the Minnesota Vikings on Christmas Eve. The division rivals matched up again on Sunday in Michigan.
Following wins by the Dallas Cowboys, New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Detroit had secured the No. 3 seed in the NFC while Minnesota had been eliminated from playoff contention. Nevertheless, individual accolades remained on the line for the Lions.
A duo of Texas A&M alumni teamed late in Detroit’s 30-20 win versus the Vikings. Wide receiver Josh Reynolds needed 36 more receiving yards entering Week 18 to reach 600 in the regular season and earn a $250,000 bonus.
Reynolds had only 1 catch for 18 yards through 57:52 of action. Then head coach Dan Campbell made it his mission to assist his fellow Aggie get paid with four consecutive targets.
David Berding/Getty Images
On first-and-10 at the Minnesota 39-yard line with 2:08 left, quarterback Jared Goff completed a 9-yard pass to Reynolds. Goff connected with Reynolds for an 8-yard completion on the next play.
Then Goff tossed it to Reynolds for a 2-yard catch to surpass 600 and receive the incentive with 1:23 remaining. Finally, just to play it safe, Campbell called for Goff to toss one more pass to Reynolds for a 7-yard completion and run out the clock. He finished with 5 receptions for 44 yards.
“I felt like we needed to do everything we could,” Campbell told the media postgame. “(Reynolds) does all the dirty work for us, all the stuff in the run game, all the blocking, all the unselfish play. Then we’re going to do whatever it takes to get him something.”
Campbell played tight end in College Station from 1995 to 1998 before being selected in the third round of the 1999 NFL draft. Reynolds competed at Kyle Field from 2014 to 2016 and was a fourth-round pick in 2017.
Dan Campbell on why it was important to feed Josh Reynolds at the end of the game. pic.twitter.com/5Qp9XOI0V2
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) January 7, 2024
The Lions host former quarterback Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams in the super wild-card round of the 2024 NFL playoffs on Sunday at 7:15 p.m. CT on NBC.
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