Lions coach Dan Campbell reflects on 9/11, visiting Ground Zero and what he still remembers 25 years later
Campbell was a 25-year-old Giants tight end when the attacks happened. His memories of Ground Zero are less about football than the people he met afterward.
Today marks the 25-year anniversary of the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center.
Every year, you hear a new story. It’s one of those events where, even 25 years later, you still learn something you didn’t know before.
Something like Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell being a member of the New York Giants at the time.
I just never really thought about it. I knew Campbell played for the Giants, but you’re not sitting at home thinking, “That’s right, Dan Campbell played for the Giants during 9/11.” It just doesn’t cross your mind.
Hearing him talk about that time during Friday’s press conference felt like a beautiful tribute, and we learned a few things about Campbell’s experience that I certainly didn’t know before.
I didn’t know Campbell went down to Ground Zero. Not on Sept. 11 itself, but afterward, when he and other Giants players visited the site and spent time with first responders.
It was another reminder of the kind of person Campbell has always been.
Campbell’s words on Sept. 11
Here’s what Campbell had to say about 9/11:
“That’s something you never forget, being up there. You get the worst of humanity and you get the best, all in a matter of minutes, really.
“One of the most inspiring things you could ever witness or be around is, in the middle of a tragedy, especially in New York — where people are in a hurry, it’s about getting from one spot to another, you’ve got places to go and things to do — something like that happens and everybody just pitches in to help. They just want to help and do whatever it takes.
“And not just the people there, but people around the country sacrificing their time, being away from their families just to go help. Anybody who was up there at that time, even wanting to get into the city after that, it took a lot just to get up there.
“It definitely pulled our country together. It’s one of those things you just don’t ever forget. A lot of people were lost. There was a lot of loss, and those are things you don’t forget.
“I can’t believe it’s been 25 years.”
Visiting Ground Zero with the Giants
Michael Strahan and Tiki Barber have both talked about visiting Ground Zero after the attacks as Giants players and seeing first responders break down in tears when they arrived.
I had just never considered that Campbell was there with them.
It becomes even more meaningful when you realize Campbell, Strahan, Barber and other Giants players went down there shortly after the attacks to meet with first responders and try to help however they could.
Here’s what Campbell had to say about that:
“Yeah, but you don’t understand that. I didn’t understand it. We just wanted to help. We could do nothing compared to what they were doing.
“Those first responders didn’t sleep. There were no showers, no food. The fact that we were able to go when we went, we were just trying to help where we could. What can we grab? What can we do?
“And they just wanted us there. I think us being there meant a lot to them.
“I remember thinking how humbling that was. We’re not doing anything. But I think it gave them a little pep, and it’s a reminder that you may not think your presence can be powerful, but just being there, letting them know you’re thinking about them and that you want to help them help others, goes a long way.
“You talk about sacrifice, a lot of people sacrificed a lot to help. It was a tough time. It’s unbelievable. Just what a time.”
The worst and best of humanity
As we get older and farther away from that day, we probably don’t think about it as often as we did when we were closer to it.
There are fully grown adults now who weren’t even alive on Sept. 11, 2001. There are people in their 30s who were only five years old at the time.
To be honest, this is probably the most I’ve thought about it in a while.
The most telling thing Campbell said was that it was the worst of humanity and the best of humanity, all within a matter of minutes.
We saw the worst possible thing people could do to one another, and then we saw what can happen when people rally together afterward. Not just as Americans, but as human beings.
The way Campbell put it, you really couldn’t say it any better.
I’d like to believe that even with where we are as a country right now, if we were put into the same situation, we would respond the same way.
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