Michael Colwander

Dan Campbell says he knew Jared Goff just needed confidence to be the quarterback he needed for Detroit because he had watched him get knocked down and keep getting back up “I was fortunate to be in some very competitive games against him when I was coaching at New Orleans, and he was at the Rams. We had some battles, man. I think we played three games in a two-year period when we were both really good. The last one being, or the next-to-last, being the NFC Championship Game.” “We had an outstanding defense at New Orleans. Very aggressive front, aggressive back end. Man, you had to get the ball out. You were going to get hit, and you had to be accurate because we had sticky coverage.” “Man, that guy, he’s making throw after throw. I mean, just pinpoint accuracy, and he is getting beat up. Beat up and bounced to the turf, and he’s back up. Bounced to the turf, and he’s back up. Huge explosive throw, first down, to the turf, back up. Huge throw, touchdown.” “And I just couldn’t believe it. Every time we played him, I’m like, ‘We cannot rattle this guy. We can’t affect him.’ He’s making throw after throw, and I just remember always being impressed. You just can’t affect him.” “So when we found out that we were going to have a chance to acquire him, I mean, I was all fired up. I was all in. I was all in because I felt like, I don’t know him. I don’t know everything he’s about, but I know enough to know how tough he is and what he’s made of mentally, and his intestinal fortitude. That says a lot.” “But I knew he was our guy, and I wanted to make sure he understood that. Like, I don’t care what happens here. I don’t care if you have a bad game, you have a bad throw. I know you’re not going to have quite everything around you that we will in time. But I wanted him to know he wasn’t on an island. You’re not by yourself. I’ll be with you through this.” “And then we just tried to force him to play quarterback in the totality of it. Everything, like being the true field general. Protections, you make it right. What routes do you want? Everything from the ground up.” “And every year he’s grown and developed and gotten better and better. I mean, just the work he’s put in speaks for itself. He’s the ultimate competitor. He’s a true pro. He’s a grinder. He knows how to prepare. He’s a great leader, and the guy is just resilient.”