Photo by Steven King/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images As the Detroit Red Wings kicked off their 2024 season, Bally Sports tapped Lions coach Dan Campbell to narrate their opening montage. It seems everyone wants a piece of Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell these days. After turning around the Lions franchise in a way that so many have failed to do in the past, Campbell is one of the most popular figures in the state of Michigan. He’s doing local commercials, national commercials, and on Thursday evening, he expanded his impact on Detroit sports beyond just football. The local TV broadcast of the Detroit Red Wings’ season opener (via Bally Sports) began with a pre-game montage that was narrated by Campbell himself. Check it out: Dan Campbell & @BallySportsDET have us ready to run through a wall. #LGRW pic.twitter.com/SPQgB9LfvO— Winged Wheel Podcast (@WingedWheelPod) October 11, 2024 “It’s true what they say about our city,” Campbell begins. “Detroit—or Hockeytown, as I’ve learned it to be called—thrives on grit, hard work, and perseverance. The same can be said about our teams, whether it’s Detroit Lions football or Red Wings hockey.” It’s fascinating to see the entire Detroit sports culture become one, centered around Campbell’s vision of “grit.” The Detroit Tigers are commonly referred to as the “gritty Tigers,” too. The idea of referring to Detroit teams as blue-collar or hard working or “lunch-pail guys” isn’t exactly a new one. In fact, it can be one of the most overused cliches to describe anything Detroit. But Campbell has breathed new life into the word “grit,” itself, and just about every local sports team is trying to adopt it. This isn’t the first time Campbell has inspired a local sports team. Tigers manager A.J. Hinch followed the Lions’ run to the NFC Championship last year and said he “loved the messaging” that Campbell brought. Wings head coach Derek Lalonde wanted Campbell to come speak to the team and provide some extra motivation. Maybe the Detroit Pistons would be wise to get in on some Campbell love.