Two of Detroit’s most prominent sports leaders recently had their first in-person conversation.

While the Detroit Tigers were staying at the same hotel in Arizona where the National Football League was hosting its annual league meetings, Tigers manager A.J. Hinch and Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell finally had the opportunity to meet face-to-face.

Both Hinch and Campbell arrived in Detroit before the 2021 seasons to take charge of teams that were going through difficult stretches. Since then, each leader has guided his club to the postseason twice, playing key roles in the resurgence of Detroit’s sports scene.

Speaking on 97.1 The Ticket before the Tigers’ home opener on Friday, Hinch revealed that the two spent about 45 minutes chatting over coffee. Their conversation covered numerous subjects, including leadership philosophy, developing younger players, and the process of elevating a team from competitive to elite.

Hinch said he realized that the two coaches approach player management in a very similar way. According to him, they also share comparable challenges when it comes to integrating young talent, helping teams progress from good to great, and shifting the mindset of a locker room. He pointed out that when both of them first arrived in Detroit, the Lions and Tigers were each in difficult positions, but both organizations have since experienced significant improvement.

The Tigers manager added that he hopes to invite Campbell to attend a game at some point, though he joked that the Lions coach’s popularity in Detroit might make that tricky. Hinch also mentioned that he’d enjoy having Campbell observe the team’s preparation behind the scenes, and that he’d likewise be interested in seeing how the Lions operate.

Hinch emphasized that their shared appreciation for Detroit helped create an instant connection. As their discussion turned to the modern challenges of coaching athletes, he described the exchange as extremely engaging and said he expects more conversations like it in the future. He’s also planning to bring Campbell out to a Tigers game later this summer.

The two even joked about what it might be like to trade jobs. One major difference they highlighted was the grind of their respective schedules. NFL teams play just 17 regular-season games, while Major League Baseball teams compete in a lengthy 162-game season.

Hinch humorously suggested that Campbell would need to dial back his emotional intensity to manage the long baseball schedule, while he himself might need to become far more fired up to match the urgency of an NFL season.

“I told him that about ten of my games equal one of his,” Hinch joked. “I’d probably have to show a lot more emotion, and he might have to calm things down a bit if he were dealing with the full 162-game grind.”

Meanwhile, Hinch and the Tigers entered their home opener against the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday with a 2–4 record to begin the season.