After signing a $10M contract worth one year, Detroit Lions wide receiver DJ Chark was elated about the vibes he was feeling after signing the contract.
The culture is huge and that’s something I want to be a part, like a family. It feels like Im a part of one. Chark said that I was accepted.
One minute later:
There is a lot of unity in this group, which I appreciate. Communication and open dialogue are important to me as a player.
A few minutes later:
I want to surround myself with good people. These are good people. It feels good being wanted.
Another minute later:
I am grateful for the professionalism and hard work of this staff. I know how much that means to them and I’m ready to be part of it. It’s a completely different feeling than what I have been experiencing.
These comments appear to confirm what we have been hearing for over a year: that Dan Campbell, Lions head coach, is creating a harmonious culture that will get the best from its players. These comments confirm that to a certain extent.
These comments need to be viewed in context. Chark comes from the Jacksonville JaguarsUrban Meyer was fired as head coach after a 3-14 season of littered with problems. Story after storyMeyers Mismanagement and misconduct.
Jayson Jenks, Jayson Sando, and Mike Sando from The Athletics published a behind the scenes story about Meyer’s one-year-old tragedy. One member of the organization called Meyers’ one-year disaster the “most toxic environment” he had ever been part of.
Chark was only person in the story who was willing to give his account without anonymity. He also didn’t hesitate to speak out about Meyer.
Chark stated that players fear losing their jobs. There are coaches that he vilified in front of you, and I cannot imagine what he was doing behind closed door doors. To be completely honest, I am surprised he managed to last that long.
Sando and Jenks write about a culture that is based on fear and intimidation in their piece. Multiple sources have recalled Meyer’s habit of blaming players and staff, and sometimes denying responsibility when it was called for. Meyer also forced Chark to do more reps, which led to Chark breaking his finger. This injury Chark sent to surgeryThis caused him to The preseason is gone.
Chark said that he feels threats are what motivates him. I know that he would approach us and tell us that if we didn’t do well, he wouldn’t fire us. He was going to fire the coach. He would usually say this when the coach was nearby.
This is not to diminish the work of the Lions. Chark is not the only one who seems impressed by this. What Detroit is buildingBut his Jacksonville experience gives context to why culture was so important for him when he was granted free agency. Chark is drawn to Detroit because of his roots.
The Athletic has the complete article.