Before kickoff in Miami, Aidan Hutchinson carried a gallon jug marked “Jack” through the tunnel. The Detroit Lions walked into Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday wearing Jack Campbell jerseys, a week after their All-Pro linebacker was carted off with a neck injury.
That is his No. 46 on their backs. It was a pregame statement, and nobody had to say a word.
Linebackers Derrick Barnes, Malcolm Rodriguez and K.J. Britt wore the jerseys, along with defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard, according to the Detroit Free Press. Fox News and OutKick say about half a dozen players did the same.
What happened before the Lions honor Jack Campbell
The injury came on the first play of the fourth quarter of Detroit’s 19-15 win over Minnesota on Nov. 1. Campbell tackled tight end T.J. Hockenson and lay face down, not moving. Trainers put him on a backboard and carted him off.
Fortunately, he was alert and breathing on the way to the hospital, ESPN reported. Our earlier look at why Campbell matters covers that night in full.
The news since has been better than anyone dared hope. In a team-released statement Wednesday, Campbell said he has full movement in his lower body and is still making progress with his upper body. “I know there’s still work ahead, but I remain very optimistic,” he said, per NFL.com.
Still, the team has not made a diagnosis or a recovery timeline public. That is also the honest answer to whether he plays again this season, and it is why the Campbell jersey tribute landed so hard.
Why No. 46 jerseys mean more than a gesture
Here’s the thing: this is not just a sad story from a faraway locker room. It is about a young player, his teammates and a city that has watched him become the heart of the defense.
Campbell is 26, a fourth-year pro out of Iowa and the 18th overall pick in 2023. Last season he became the first NFL player in seven years with 150-plus tackles, at least five sacks and three forced fumbles. He also leads Detroit with 57 tackles through seven games.
Sheppard put it plainly earlier this season: “This is Jack Campbell’s defense and everyone in that locker room knows it.” Now the defense has to play without him, and without several other starters, including cornerback D.J. Reed and edge rusher DJ Wonnum.
“This is for him, man,” Barnes said, according to Fox News. He added that one of Detroit’s keys to victory is “preparing to play like No. 46.” Head coach Dan Campbell has framed the week the same way: the Lions “owe it to” Jack to play like he would, the Detroit News reports.
What the Lions tribute to Campbell means on the field
Detroit is 5-2 and chasing a fourth straight win. Miami is 1-6, so the Lions are the heavy favorites on paper. But a team grieving a teammate can play with an edge, or it can play flat.
Sheppard says other linebackers, Barnes among them, will take over the signal-calling Campbell used to handle.
The Lions put Campbell on injured reserve Saturday. As a result, he must miss at least four games, so his earliest possible return is Week 13 against Atlanta on Dec. 6, Pride of Detroit noted. Nobody should read that date as a promise. Practice-squad cornerback Nick Whiteside was signed to the active roster in the corresponding move.
What to watch next as the Lions honor Jack Campbell
Kickoff is 1 p.m. ET on CBS. Jahmyr Gibbs (773 rushing yards) gives Detroit a ground game to lean on while the defense reshuffles. Dan Campbell’s Monday news conference is the next likely place for an update on Jack.
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Campbell has asked his teammates to “make sure the house is taken care of until I can get back.” Sunday, they showed up wearing his name on their backs. The scoreboard will tell us how well they kept the house.
