Dan Campbell addresses Lions hype at start of camp

Aug 28, 2022; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell watches the third quarter action against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium. The Steelers won 19-9. Mandatory Credit: Philip G. Pavely-USA TODAY Sports

Many are picking the Detroit Lions to win the NFC North this season after their strong finish to 2022, but coach Dan Campbell is trying to pump the brakes on that.

Campbell admitted Sunday that he was worried about the “hype train” surrounding Detroit, and that he needed the team to remain focused on the work and not the outside noise.

“I think as always, the thing that’s gonna worry you is the hype train,” Campbell said, via Eric Woodyard of ESPN. “I mean, as with most coaches, this thing is just taking off and it’s out of control right now and that’s fine, as long as we stay focused on the job at hand and the work. I just keep going back to that. We’ve got to put the work in and earn it.”

Campbell is right, because the Lions did not even make the playoffs last year. While they finished 9-8 and kept the Green Bay Packers from reaching the playoffs in the season finale, their 1-6 start prevented them from reaching the postseason themselves. The 8-2 finish is what has many people predicting good things for them in 2023.

Fortunately, few Lions appear to be complacent heading into 2023. If they back up the hype, they could be a very fun story.