Inside the Article:
When the Detroit Lions fired Jim Caldwell and hired Matt Patricia as their head coach prior to the 2018 season, the hope was that he would come in and take the team to the next level. Well, as we now know, rather than taking Detroit to the next level, Patricia pretty much burned the organization to the ground, and he ended up getting fired before the 2020 season was over. Now, Dan Campbell is running the show, and fullback Jason Cabinda sees some big differences.
Jason Cabinda clearly favors Dan Campbell over Matt Patricia
Cabinda recently joined the Honolulu Blue Podcast and he was asked about the differences between Campbell and Patricia.
“Yeah, huge differences,” Cabinda said. “Obviously, not just from a coaching perspective, but from even a personality perspective. I would say for me, you know, Dan came in and Dan had a culture that he wanted to instill in our building. What I love about Dan is, you know, it was, you know it’s been super tough, and everything about what we do is super tough… One thing I love about Dan is that when we did start getting or when we did start picking up the stuff, he treated us like grown men.”
Patricia coached Lions like they were a college program
Cabinda added that when Patricia was running the show, he treated the team as if he was running a college program.
“I think Matt P. treated it more like a college program, or from a young players perspective, which I think when you have very young teams, you do have to do,” Cabinda continued. “But I don’t feel at the times he was here that we were super young. So I think from the perspective, once Dan started… and we started and we responded and we started doing things the right way, and we started playing ball the way that he wanted us to play ball, things started to really synchronize from that standpoint. You know I think that’s when Dan started to throw us a bone here and there. And when those types of things happen, it just, the relationship between coach Campbell and the players is just so harmonious, you know.
Campbell connects with his players
Cabinda noted that since Campbell spent time in the NFL as a player, it gives him an extra layer of connection with his players.
“Obviously, he’s been in our shoes, he’s played,” Cabinda added. “Not just played, but played 10 years or so, however long, and had success at this level, so to be able to be one of those guys who’s really, legitimately been our shoes, which so many coaches cannot say. Which, I think in itself can sometimes create a level of disconnect. So to really have that extra layer of connection with a guy like coach Campbell, I think goes so much further. I just think that guys really, really respect him, respect everything that he says, and are always paying attention and in tune and honing in when he speaks, he really commands the room
Bottom Line
Needless to say, Dan Campbell and Matt Patricia are very different people, and they are certainly different coaches. Campbell goes out of his way to make connections with his players, and in return, his players love and respect him. Patricia, on the other hand, tried to lead with an iron fist and it blew up in his face.
