Glover Quin, Former Lions Safety

Alrighty, rocking and rolling. It is the Zach Gelb show Coast to Coast on CBS Sports Radio. We are counting down the days until Conference Championship Sunday. We know that in the AFC, it will be the Baltimore Ravens welcoming in the Kansas City Chiefs and then the NFC in Santa Clara.

It will be the 49ers hosting the Detroit Lions. Go out to the guest line right now, welcoming a man that played for the Texans and the Lions, led the NFL in interceptions in 2014. Now as a podcast, believe in Lions on the Believe Podcast Network. And that's Glover Quinn, kind enough to join us on the Zach Gelb show on CBS Sports Radio. Glover, appreciate the time.

Thanks so much for doing this. How you been? Man, thank you guys for having me.

I've been great. So Lions in the NFC title game, like going into this year, I was wondering would the Lions meet the hype because man, they had such a strong finish at the end of last season and everyone was picking them to be that team. I was just wondering if they were ready. Why has this year worked out so well for them when you look to where they are right now? Because they were ready. Last year, it just happened too late and that's a part of the process. They had to learn. They had to soak in that moment.

They had to see that we could do this. You know, going to Green Bay last year in that last game of the season and getting that win in the game that for Green Bay, it meant going to the playoffs. For the Lions, it just meant knocking Green Bay out the playoffs. But I also think it meant mentally getting over that hurdle of the team that's been the monsters in the conference.

You know what I'm saying? We've had plenty of opportunities at least my two, my years there. We had two opportunities to win the division title and it was a winner-take-all game against Green Bay.

And we lost both times. And so being able to go to Green Bay and get that win and then just kind of ride that momentum all the way through the off-season from free agency to the draft. I mean, look at the draft that they had. Jameer Gibbs, Sam Laporta, Jack Campbell, like, man, tons and tons.

Brian Branch. Just guys that came in ready to play Hungary contributed all year. Big, big members of the team. And so I think they had to go through that last year and see like they could do it. I think the hype coming off the hard knocks and going into the season was probably a little too much and they didn't handle it well. And then once they got rolling this year, I think they understood what had to be done. They were ready for the hype. It was more about them instead of the hype. They've kept the focus really honed in onto who they are and what they're trying to do. And, you know, they were able to win some games and get on a good roll.

And the way it played out is perfect. They started out fast, got some wins. You go through that little lull of the season. They lost some, them played great. And then they came back out on the other end and now they're playing as good, if not better than anybody else. And like you said, Glover Quinn, like you were on some good Lions teams, but they always have that cloud hanging over them for what the franchise has been for the majority of their time in the NFL. And like, let's just be real about it.

It takes a special person and it takes a different person to change that kind of conversation. And when you first heard Dan Campbell speak, you were like, all right, clearly a football guy, clearly a maniac, but was he going to be able to coach? And man, even after some adversity had in the first two years, this guy believed in what he did. And he's built this team through the trenches along with Brad Holmes and they're not just hitting everything right with what they're doing with this organization.

Yeah. I mean, you know, he's came in and, and you know, everything that Dan Campbell embodies, you know, you look at his career, just a hard working guy. You look at his coaching career going up through the ranks as a hard working guy.

You look at Detroit, the city is a hard working blue collar city. And sometimes you can have coaches that really don't fit the city. They don't fit the vibe, the makeup of the team, the organization.

And I think that's what you saw with a Matt Patricia and it just didn't, it just didn't mesh. And I think Dan Campbell, his vibe, his energy, his appreciation, all those things, just vibe, his grit mentality. It just vibes well with the city.

So the city can get behind it and feel like they're a part of it. They've got the right guys in that embodies the same mentality. Just a lot of guys that's hungry and want to play the game of football and play it the right way. And on top of that, they're really talented guys. And you know, he's got that team playing at a level and believing that they can win every single game. I think they really take on that mentality. And when they step on the field, they feel like we can win this game. There's not a, oh, the Lions are going to beat themselves or, oh, no, we're going out to win this game.

And that's a great feeling to have. Talking to Glover Quinn right now on the Zach Gelb show on CBS Sports Radio. And like, you look back at Matt Patricia, the my way or the highway approach doesn't really work anymore in the NFL. But then on the other side, when you're a player's coach, you can't be a doormat. That's what I think makes Dan Campbell such a good blend is that he's more of a player's coach, but he's clearly not a doormat. Like let's say someone like Nick Sirianni is with the Philadelphia Eagles. It's it is crazy what he's been able to do.

And to just see the way that they're playing right now, it's impossible to not like this Lions team and not root for this team, unless like, right, you're a fan of the 49ers this weekend. You know, it's actually funny that you say that about the players coach, because I tell people this all the time. It's hard for people to be a player's coach unless they really have the knowledge and have been around or they played. Otherwise, you don't know how to be a player's coach.

You think, you know, and they turn into doormats because they feel like they just got to let players do this or do that or whatever. So they could be seen as this cool guy or he's a player coach. Oh, Nick loves us.

And I don't even call Nick name because I don't even know Nick Sirianni like that. But just saying, oh, he loves us, man. He lets us get away with this or that or yeah, that's fun on Mondays and Tuesdays, but it sucks on Sundays when you're getting your teeth kicked in. That's not necessarily what a player's coach is.

Dan Campbell played the game. He understands. So he understands what players needs, what they want, how to connect with players and that's how you be a player's coach, connecting with your team, demanding the respect, demanding the level of work. But it's a connection that you have to where you understand what they're going through. You understand what it feels like because you've been there.

Very few people can do that. And so you kind of look at some hires that are being made now, like Antonio Pierce and Gerard Mayo. Like I see a lot of what the Lions have with Dan Campbell that now teams are trying to emulate with both those guys ended up getting the head coaching jobs with the Raiders and the Patriots. Yeah.

And you look at D'Amico Ryans, the same thing, right? Guys that's played the game, smart players, hardworking players, right? A lot of times those guys know how to communicate, you know, D'Amico, Mayo, Antonio, all those guys were linebackers. So they communicated with the whole defense.

They had to, they were the play callers, right? And so they're probably smart guys, tough, physical, like, and that's the mentality, but they're also young enough to that they can connect with this younger generation of players. It's a new league.

It's not the same league as it was even when I first got in, in 2009, it's a different league. So having these younger coaches who can understand these younger kids, how they're being raised, how they're being brought up and then being able to connect with them at, at the professional level. I think these younger guys, they're going to connect and vibe way better with a younger coach than they are with, with the older coach. I mean, you look at what D'Amico did. He took almost the same Houston team, except for CJ Stroud and, you know, Will Anderson and not get it. Those are key pieces, but Lovey Smith and David Kelly almost had the same and they couldn't get it done because they, I feel like they couldn't connect.

I live here in Houston. They, they, they couldn't connect. And D'Amico comes in and it's just a totally different energy. You know what I'm saying? You look at what Antonio Pierce did in, in, in Las Vegas.

He's just a totally different energy. Like those guys can connect. They out there smoking cigars in the locker room. Like they're having a great time. Like, you know, I get it.

It is what it is. And so I think you're saying a lot of that. And Dan Campbell is one of those guys. He played the game. He understands it. You know, he's not too old. He's, he's young enough to be able to do up downs with his team to run with his team. He, I mean, he's an in shape guy.

He's probably in there lifting weights with his team, like all those things. Players love that because you're not making them do anything that you can't do. And you're not making them do anything that you probably haven't done. It's very difficult for certain coaches to sit over there and make you do stuff. And you're looking at them like, you can't even do this. Like you're asking me to do something that you can't even do.

You don't even have a clue of how to do it. So I think that's one thing that makes Dan Campbell really special. Since you brought up the Texans, I know you started your career with them. You being right, a secondary player, defensive back safety, Glover Quinn here with us in the Zach Gelb show, just what stood out to you the most with what a rookie quarterback and CJ Stroud did in year one in Houston, having to go up and defend so many quarterbacks for so many years?

I mean, I think he did a phenomenal job. You know what I'm saying? I think, you know, when you look at, I think his interception rate for the season was, I think he only had like five or six interceptions on the season.

You know what I'm saying? Like that's incredible for a rookie, but I think a lot of that goes with the coaching as well, not putting them in situations where he has to throw the ball 30, 40 times and, and throw an interception. So being able to run the ball, lean on your defense, you know, have an offense that he can easily learn and pick up and play to his strengths. I think that's been great, but I think that shows his demeanor, his pause, his presence, his understanding, his want to learn, his, his ability to learn. And those young guys, you know, Will Anderson on the defensive side and CJ Stroud, you know, when you get drafted like that, everybody in the locker room knows that those guys are the future. Those guys are the pillars. So any veterans that you have in the linebacker room on a D line room is not their job to, to whatever, not help Will Anderson, because you know, he's the future. You're better off helping him than trying to go against him because they're going to get you out of here before they get Will out of here.

He's the future, right? Like anybody on the offense, you guys should be trying to help CJ because he, those are your future guys, offensively and defensively. They made that statement. We got a new coach and these are our guys, period. And so I think everybody on the team has bought into that and they, and they, you know, rallied behind those guys and rallied behind CJ for sure. And it was just an incredible year to go from three wins last year to make it into the division around this year with that type of momentum with a rookie head coach or rookie quarterback.

I think the sky's the limit for those guys. I think the biggest thing is, is obviously tough going from year one to year two. There's film out there on you guys now from a coaching staff, from a player staff, I mean, players point of view and, you know, game plans would be different next year, you know, being able to, you know, prepare more for CJ. So the expectations will be high again next year. They'll probably be higher because you did so well this year, you came off for offensive rookie of the year, more than likely. I think he won some offensive rookie of the year today.

I saw. So the expectations are going to be higher. So they got to just prepare for that and, and understand that it's going to be a journey. You look at Jalen hurts in Philly, you know, last year had a phenomenal year. This year wasn't as great, right? But the expectations are higher.

The, the, the, the league is better. They, they, they're ready for you. And so being able to, you know, stay great through all of that, will be tough, but I'm sure they can handle it.

And D'Amico is a guy, is a guy that can help them. But I tell people all the time, that's why it's hard to downplay somebody's greatness when they've done it for so long, because you don't understand, you know, people sit here and I know I'm jumping from different things, but it's just all relative because they talk about LeBron James and he just got stats because he's been in the league for 21 years. Do you know how hard it is to be in the league for 21 years? It's nuts.

It's great. That's why we brought about, we brought this up earlier, like some, sometimes today you have people saying up my homes is the greatest quarterback of all time. I'm like, hold on. Did we just forget Tom Brady played in the NFL for 20 something seasons and won seven Superbowls and beat my homes at an AFC title game. And then also a Superbowl, like as much as I love my homes and how ridiculous he is, Glover Quinn, it's like, let's make sure that he's going to be able to do this for 15, 20 years.

And unfortunately not get hurt, you know, along those nature too. Cause the durability part is massive. Right. And that, and that's a part that people don't take into consideration when they want to say the greatest of all time. We've never said Tom Brady was the most talented of all times. He says the greatest. Right. So when you look at Patrick, my homes, is he more talented than Tom?

Sure. But to be able to do it, if Patrick, my homes can stay at this level for 15 more years, then yeah, he'll probably be greater than Tom because he'll probably have more Superbowls. He's already been the sixth AFC championship games in the row. He's been a three to two Superbowls already. I doubt he makes it back there this year. I think the Ravens will beat him, but he's been in six. So if you continually going to the AFC championship games every single year in Superbowls, you're going to win one or two here or there.

And over the course of 20 years, you get five or six or seven, right? But that's a lot to do. That's hard to do. And until he do that, all we can say is, yes, he's more talented, but we can't put him as the GOAT at this point.

He just hasn't done it long enough. Last thing I'll ask you, Glover Quinn, Brock Purdy has turned into a polarizing topic. Let's say you were getting ready to go up against him this weekend. What would your honest assessment be of him when we'd be in your defensive back room? You know, I honestly would feel like, you know, let's put the game in his hands. You know, I think Brock Purdy is a good quarterback. I mean, I feel like he does a lot of things well, but I also feel like, you know, he has a lot of guys around him and that's not a knock on him. That's not his fault.

You know what I'm saying? That's a luxury for him not being a super high-paid quarterback. So you can have a Christian McCaffrey at running back. You can have a George Killer at tight end. You can have a Deebo Sammy if he's able to go. You can have all those weapons and you got to do a great job in managing that.

And that's difficult in itself. So I don't sit here and feel like Brock Purdy is a guy that can't play. Obviously they're in the NFC championship game and he's a big part of that. But at the end of the day, I feel like Christian McCaffrey can really make this team go. And so if we can't stop Christian McCaffrey, that makes Brock Purdy almost impossible to defend because they got both things going, the run game and the pass game. And so I think they definitely got to make sure that they stop Christian McCaffrey in the run game and force Brock Purdy to throw the ball. And if he can throw it well enough, consistently enough, when you're expecting him to throw it from a one-dimensional standpoint, then you tip your cap and say, hey man, he earned his keep for today. But if you go out there and, and not stop and slow down Christian McCaffrey, Brock Purdy is going to have a career day because the whole, the whole field is going to be open because they got too many guys that can beat you and everything is going to be clicking. So I think they got to definitely make sure that they can stop the run game, put it in Brock Purdy's hand, you know, Deebo Sammy can go that as another element, if he can't go, you know, I know they went on a three game losing streak earlier in the season and I think Deebo Sammy was absent for all three of those games.

So that's, that's a big key right now. He's Clover Quinn. Make sure you check out his podcast, Believe in Lions on the Believe Podcast Network. Clover, always great to have you on. Thanks for doing this. Oh man. Thank you guys.