Lions’ Jack Campbell Took Smaller Payday to Stay With Team

Detroit Lions linebacker Jack Campbell wants to remain a Lion for the long haul.

A former first-round draft pick by the Lions in 2023, Campbell is on the final year of his rookie contract, and the team initially declined his fifth-year option, which would have made him a free agent after the 2026 season. But the team turned around and gave him a four-year, $81 million extension last week.

“I’d just like to start off and just say thank you to the Lord for giving me my unique talents and abilities and putting me here,” Campbell said at a May 27 press conference. “I think he has me in Detroit for a reason, ever since I got drafted here.”

Campbell also thanked his family for their support; the Lions organization and ownership for believing in him; his coaches for molding him into the player he has become; and his agent. He also thanked the fans for their support, remarking on how much they care about the Lions and how the Lions symbolize the spirit of Detroit.

“We’re in a city full of working-class people that just every single day grind it out,” the native of Cedar Falls, Iowa, said. “So I feel for those people, because I see firsthand, like my brother back home. I see how hard he works. Growing up, I saw how hard my parents worked for what they got. I’ve just got a deep appreciation for people who show up to work every single day, even if no one notices, even if no one writes stories about them … that’s literally what the city of Detroit epitomizes. So that’s what I’m going to try to epitomize.”

The Lions drafted Campbell out of Iowa with the 18th pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. At the time, Campbell was not regarded as a first-round prospect, and many analysts thought the selection was a massive reach; the pick received D and F grades from multiple outlets. At the podium, Campbell recounted how a fan from his hometown mailed him a letter with a news article blasting the selection, as well as the Lions’ other first-round pick in the 2023 Draft, running back Jahmyr Gibbs.

Campbell immediately stood out in his rookie season. He totaled 95 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, and a pass defense; he was named to the Pro Football Writers of America All-Rookie Team. He started the full season in 2024 and racked up 131 tackles, 5 TFLs, a sack and a half, a forced fumble, and five pass defenses.

His breakout season came in 2025: he had 176 total tackles, good for second in the NFL, 9 TFLs, 5 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, 2 recoveries, and 4 passes defended. He earned a Pro Bowl selection as well as a First-Team All-Pro nod.

According to Spotrac, Campbell’s 4-year, $81 million contract is the fifth-largest contract among linebackers in terms of both total value and average annual salary; among inside linebackers, Campbell is second in total value behind Roquan Smith of the Baltimore Ravens (5 years, $100 million), and second in average salary behind Fred Warner of the San Francisco 49ers (3 years, $63 million).

Campbell’s friend and former Iowa teammate, Las Vegas Raiders center Tyler Linderbaum, reset the market at his position in free agency this offseason. While Campbell had the opportunity to do the same, he said he did not talk to Linderbaum about it and, more importantly, was not interested in securing a bag but rather in securing his future with the football team.

“The number one thing for me through this whole entire process is to remain a Lion, because I want to be a part of this. … Me and my wife absolutely love it here. The people have just been so nice to us, and it just feels like home. … I already have more than enough. So, for me it was more about the principle of, I just want to be in the ‘elite’ category, because I feel like I’m an elite linebacker,” Campbell said.

“I don’t need to be the highest paid, even though the guys around the league would probably appreciate that ’cause 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.  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.”