Dan Campbell Might Have Unlocked a New Strength Against 49ers, and It All Rests in Lions’ Shoes

Will the Detroit Lions win the NFC Championship this time? This question will be answered on January 28 on Sunday after their San Francisco 49ers’ matchup. However, Lions coach Dan Campbell is leaving no stone unturned to make it a reality in the 2024 playoffs.

The Lions have been trying to knock off every opponent on their way since the start of the season. And with 12 wins in their pocket, they got the advantage of sealing their division, the NFC North this time. But as the upcoming playoffs are crucial, they need to make impressive preparations accordingly now. And so, they might change their “shoes” as Campbell is keeping a tab on Bill Parcells ‘classic’ advice.

Dan Campbell’s rockstar is the Lions’ longtime head equipment manager

In a pregame press conference on Thursday, Lions’ coach Dan Campbell was asked about their longtime head equipment manager Tim O’Neil, after Campbell’s “shoes” revelation. O’Neil has been associated with the team for 22 years. Recently, Campbell earlier received a piece of advice from his coaching mentor, Bill Parcells following the slips and falls witnessed in the Packers vs. 49ers game.

Following this advice, it looks like O’Neil is going to make the necessary changes for the Lions’ team. His job on Sunday will be to assure the Lions have the appropriate cleats and all necessary backup options. Campbell, who always gives credit to the guys in the background, spoke about what O’Neil brings to the table.

Praising him in the presser, the 47-year-old coach said, “He’s been a rock star at his job for a long time. He never complains, he never moans about anything, he never says we don’t have this. All that he does, he just wants to help the players, he just wants to be a resource…..Same with the coaches…..He puts in the work and I’m glad we could — it makes all that hard work feel a little bit better cause it’s still going to be there, you still got to put in the work, but it makes it worth it.”

O’Neil has entered the Lions’ 22nd season now – from getting things on and off the plane, helping the players put on the shoulder pads, to assisting each of them in getting dressed – Campbell’s trustworthy asset is the master of custom-fit gears. The presser hints that Parcells’ advice is being put into action. While there is no official confirmation on the switch, it appears like O’Neil would come up with some advanced changes in the game against the 49ers.

Read more: Lions Press Conference – Jared Goff Gets 100% Real on 49ers’ Defense, Drops Powerful Message: “Four Teams Left”

Speaking of shoes, wondering why the Lions’ cleats need to be changed. The answer lies in the conversation between Dan Cmapbell and Bill Parcels following the Green Bay Packers and 49ers game when the Levi’s Stadium resembled a Slip ‘N Slide.

Dan Campbell got the best advice from Bill Parcells to change the Lions’ shoes!

Well, no team would like to lose the playoffs or Super Bowl just because of their cleats. This might have been the case for the Green Bay Packers when they fell out of the San Francisco game in the divisional round. And now the Lions are learning from their mistakes. Dan Campbell’s coaching mentor, Bill Parcells, sent a two-word message text to the coach. The text read: “Congratulations, shoes.” The ‘classic’ message has a significant value in the next game of the Lions.

Campbell understood the advice and asked his team’s equipment manager, Tim O’Neil to look into the matter and change the cleats of the Lions’ players who are going to face an away game against the 49ers. Campbell mentioned the recent Packers-49ers game, highlighting how players struggled with slips and falls due to the rain-soaked field in San Francisco. Soon after which the Niners changed their cleats after the first half, and started leading until their win.

Campbell referred to coach Parcells and his valuable advice, emphasizing that even with better weather expected for their upcoming game at San Francisco, Parcells’ insights still matter to avoid last-minute run-out. Meanwhile, no further updates on their planned shoes are officially out yet, but fans are expecting longer & more grip spikes for them.

Sunday’s forecast is expected to be around 71 degrees, with less chance of precipitation. However, if by chance they meet with a rain-soaked environment at Levi’s Stadium on January 28, at 3:30 PM PT, Tim O’Neil will be there to handle the situation for the Lions. Now that’s what a coach’s faith in the background guys looks like!

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