Plenty of names have been floated of replacements for Texas A&M football coach Jimbo Fisher, who was fired Sunday after six disappointing seasons that failed to bring them the national championship they covet, and Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell has been one of the more interesting names to watch.
Possible replacements mentioned have included Dan Lanning, Lane Kiffin, Dan Campbell — even Deion Sanders. Many of them have denied being contacted or having interest in the job.
Campbell, a former Aggie from 1995-98, is the latest to not have an interest in being a candidate, according to Dennis Dodd of CBS Sports.
The 47-year-old Campbell is in his third season as head coach of the Detroit Lions, who are 7-2 and currently sit atop the NFC North. Campbell led them to a 9-8 record in 2022 and just barely missing a playoff spot, after they started off the season 1-6 before reeling off eight wins in their final 10 games.
In 2021, the Lions finished 3-13-1, but they featured a young squad and played 85 different players throughout the season, tied for the third-most in the NFL.
Campbell was born in Clifton, Texas, located just two hours north of Texas A&M's College Station. He spent four seasons with the Aggies as a tight end, wide receiver and special teams player. He played 11 seasons in the NFL, including three in Detroit from 2006-08.
Campbell has spent his entire 12-year coaching career in the NFL, including nine years as an assistant with the Miami Dolphins and New Orleans Saints. He also served as an interim coach with the Dolphins in 2015, going 5-7.
According to Dodd, the Aggies initiated backchannel communications with Campbell but were told he intended to stay with the Lions. This makes sense, as Campbell appears to have a great thing going with the Lions, who haven't made the playoffs since 2016 when they fell to the Seattle Seahawks in the first round.
Why ruin a good thing, even if it meant going back to his alma mater to give the Aggies what Fisher could not: a national title?
Things could change, of course. It isn't unusual for coaches to publicly deny interest in a job vacancy, only to jump ship shortly after. Until the Aggies officially name Fisher's successor, anything is possible.
