ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- The Detroit Lions began Phase 3 of their organized team activities (OTAs) on Wednesday at the Meijer Performance Center. And fresh off the workout, still soaked in team gear, All-Pro linebacker Jack Campbell met with reporters in the media room to speak about his new four-year, $81 million contract extension for the first time publicly.
Campbell, who leaned on the support of his agent and family during the process, said he entered contract negotiations thinking one thing: "I want to be a Lion, no matter what."
Ultimately, he said he was satisfied with the deal that will keep him under contract through the 2030 season and includes $51.5M guaranteed. The extension came after the Lions declined to exercise the fifth-year option for the 2027 season on his rookie contract last month, but Campbell said he understood the business behind the process. And he said he remained professional while communicating with Lions GM Brad Holmes regularly along the way.
"Let's be realistic here, like, I already have more than enough. So, for me, it was more about the principle of just like, I just want to be in the elite category, because I feel like I'm an elite linebacker and that's the way (Lions GM) Brad (Holmes) saw it and that's the way everyone upstairs saw it... I feel like for me, I don't need to be the highest paid," Campbell said.
"Even though the guys around the league would probably appreciate that because it bumps up everything. So, I'm sorry to them. But I just feel like for me, I knew what I wanted in this. I want to help the team in any way possible. Just to continue to keep the core together so, I mean, at the end of the day, I feel like it was fair for the team and I'm more than happy with everything that they blessed me with."
Three years ago, Campbell stood in the same position, in the exact same room, next to teammate Jahmyr Gibbs, just one day after the Lions made him the 18th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft out of Iowa. Campbell reflected candidly on his draft night experience in 2023, when the Lions shocked many fans and media members by selecting him six picks after Gibbs.
At the time, some draft experts were critical of using such a premium pick on a running back and linebacker, but Campbell said he continues to draw motivation from that moment of doubt.
"When I got drafted on draft night. I remember everything. I remember a lot of things that were said. A guy from my hometown mailed me a letter. I still have it today," Campbell said. "Just the CBS Sports article, just talking about how like this is probably the worst pick in the NFL history. And, I was like, 'for sure.'
"So, I mean all that stuff, it wasn't about proving them wrong. I feel like, for me, it was proving the people who believed in me right," he added. "And that started back at Iowa, coming out of high school when I had Iowa and Iowa State who even wanted to recruit me. And at the end, Minnesota offered me. So, it's just something I feel like I carried along my whole life, so it was really nothing new. I knew the type of player I was gonna be."
Campbell enjoyed a breakout year in his third NFL season, earning first-team AP All-Pro honors in addition to his first Pro Bowl selection.
He emerged as the Lions' most consistent defender in 2025, ending the season with a team-high 176 total tackles, nine tackles for loss, five sacks and four passes defended.
He is a player the Lions respect and wanted to keep around on a long-term basis, which was a mutual feeling for Campbell.
Now that his business is handled, Campbell plans to stay laser-focused this offseason as a core member of the group trying to help Detroit bounce back from a disappointing 9-8 season.
"For them to have that belief in me, I mean it only makes me more motivated because I know that I'll be a part of something special in the future," Campbell said. "I don't really look in the past quite a bit, like this whole career I don't really look back, but it's been some special teams that have come through here and we need to continue to keep that up."