ALLEN PARK, Mich. — When John Fox stepped away from the game of football following the 2017 season, he didn't immediately recognize how exhausted he was after working as a head coach 16 consecutive years for three different franchises. It also didn't take him long to start missing it.
"I think you kind of realize there’s some burnout there that you don’t even know," Fox said. "You go three straight jobs; I’m not even sure it's been done before without taking a year off. Once I recovered from the burnout, I think you’ve got a lot more energy."
After just a few months away, he turned to broadcasting to fill the void, working as an analyst for ESPN for two years. But, it wasn't enough. He craved a level of competition only coaching could provide. So, he started looking for opportunities to throw his hat back in that ring. Not as a head coach, mind you. Those days are behind him. But, after sifting through his contacts around the league, he latched on to an opportunity with Frank Reich in Indianapolis, serving as a senior defensive assistant.
Obviously, things went sideways in Indianapolis last season, with Reich getting the hook mid-season. Still, Fox was reinvigorated by the challenge. So, he set out to find another place to continue the twilight of his career, landing in Detroit this offseason. Here, he reconnects with coach Dan Campbell, who was drafted by the New York Giants in 1999, when Fox was working as the team's defensive coordinator.
"The great thing about Dan is what you see is what you get, and he was that way as a player," Fox said. "He showed up every day and worked. He had his lunch pail and he went after it as a player, just like he is now as a coach, which, very proud of him and very proud to have the opportunity to be associated with him as a coach now. He and (defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn) both, when I met with them, it was kind of a match made (in heaven). I thought it was a great situation and very, very proud to be here."
Fox's value is ultimately his experience. And although he hasn't won a Super Bowl, he's coached in three, one as the coordinator in New York and twice as a head coach, both in Carolina and Denver. As the Lions continue to try and forge their own path to championship contention after spending the past two years rebuilding the roster, Fox is quick to emphasize there are no shortcuts to the top.
"You've got to put in the time," he said. "A lot can be made on the outside about your prospects, but the reality is you're going to get what you earn. If guys put in the time, put in the work, they'll get to reap those benefits. Really trying to get in that mindset that nothing worth a darn comes easy and this is very, very difficult. These divisions are hard to win. You've got to put in a lot of time and effort. I think they've got that mindset. I think this is a tough-minded football team. Saw that when we worked against them last training camp.
"... Hopefully they got a small taste (last season), and now you gotta go put on your big-boy pants and get it done."
Fox also knows it's easy for a team to fall victim to buying into its hype, resulting in falling short of expectations. He doesn't see that being an issue under the watchful eye of Campbell, but it doesn't hurt to echo the warning.
"You can't take days off," Fox said. "About the time you start patting yourself on the back, those types of things, you get bit."
The Lions are coming off a season where they ranked last in total defense, but showed marked improvements down the stretch, particularly with limiting opponents' scoring. A lot of that betterment was due to a young core gaining experience and building chemistry, something Fox expects to continue to track in a positive direction.
"I think of the expectations of the coaches, I think it takes a while for players to get a feel for that," Fox said. "With that comes some growing pains, as far as making changes. So, I'm sure there were some changes, personnel-wise, as part of the march through the season a year ago. You saw those improvements, you saw those young guys getting better with time, and the more you do it, the better you get. I thought there was good evidence of that last season."
Fox isn't signing on to be an overbearing presence. He views himself as Glenn's assistant; an experienced, second set of eyes and ears who can backstop the coordinator's weekly planning. And more than anything, Fox is just happy to be back in the thick of things.
"You miss the closeness of the people, because you work very, very, very close, whether you’re playing or coaching," Fox said. "Naturally, you miss that. It’s like an old boys club, you know? But digging into it, what I missed, I felt, more than just the camaraderie, was the, ‘How can we stop this? How can we mess them up in this area? How can we —’ it’s the chess match part of it. I didn’t realize I’d missed it that much, and really enjoyed that a year ago (in Indianapolis), and looking forward to doing that all over again here. I really like our system defensively and it should be a lot of fun."
