Lions HC Dan Campbell offers hilarious description of OTAs

For many, the voluntary organized team activity portion of the NFL calendar is an exciting time, as it marks the unofficial start of the league's on-field offseason. Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell is not exactly doing cartwheels over the practices, however.

The Lions began the first week of their voluntary OTA program on Wednesday. While an argument could be made that the sessions represent the first opportunity players have to prove themselves, Campbell clearly does not put much stock into them. How do we know this? The 50-year-old's description of the practices is all the evidence one needs.

Dan Campbell is not excited about OTAs

On Friday, a reporter asked Campbell which players have stood out thus far during OTAs. The coach said he won't be able to gauge much until players are in pads.

"A lot of guys have done really well for two days in pajamas,” Campbell said, via Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. “I’m done with the hype of a pajama party in May. ... We’ll find out in training camp who’s who. This will be the most competition we’ve had. Top-tier competition. This will be good, across the board.

"Nobody’s gonna win a job in the spring. I’m not hyping anybody up. Not in May.”

Voluntary OTAs are just that — voluntary. Players are not required to show up, but the workouts can be crucial for rookies and new additions who are trying to acclimate to a new team's culture as quickly as possible. The sessions are considered less important for veteran players, and Campbell does not seem concerned about anyone falling behind.

Lions are hoping for a bounce-back year

The Lions finished 9-8 last season and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2022. They reached the NFC Championship in 2023 and were then knocked out in the Divisional Round in 2024, so you could make the argument that they are trending in the wrong direction. Campbell wants to reverse that trend in 2026.

Former Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson left to become the head coach of the Chicago Bears last year. Ex-Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn took a job as the head coach of the New York Jets. There was a lot of speculation that Campbell would struggle to maintain the level of excellence he had established without his top two assistants. If the Lions were to miss the playoffs again this upcoming season, that narrative would likely become more pronounced.