Jack Campbell's family story: College sweethearts, marriage and baby

When Jack Campbell was immobilized and taken from Ford Field with a neck injury on Sunday, his wife, Megan Campbell, and their 4-month-old son, Cooper, were nearby. Three days later, the Detroit Lions linebacker provided an encouraging update , saying in a statement released through the team Wednesday that he has full movement in his lower body and is making progress with movement in his upper body, The Detroit News reported. In his first public comments since the injury against the Minnesota Vikings , Campbell, 26, also pointed to his faith and family as he looked ahead to his recovery. More: Lions teammates encouraged by latest update on Jack Campbell That family includes the woman he began dating when both were college athletes in Iowa and the son they welcomed this summer. College sweethearts Campbell and his wife, then Megan Meyer, met at the University of Iowa in 2019, the summer before their freshman year. They started dating the following fall, according to the couple's wedding website . Campbell, from Cedar Falls, Iowa, was a three-star recruit at linebacker for the Hawkeyes and developed into one of the nation's top college linebackers. Meyer, from Mason City, Iowa, spent the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons with Iowa's women's basketball team, where she was a teammate of another standout guard, Caitlin Clark. Meyer appeared in 40 games before transferring to Drake University in Des Moines. At Drake, she started all 34 games during the 2021-22 season, averaged 12.1 points and was named the Missouri Valley Conference Newcomer of the Year and a first-team All-MVC selection. She missed most of the 2022-23 season with a knee injury but returned for the 2023-24 season to finish her eligibility. The couple remained together as Campbell's football career took off. The Lions selected him 18th overall in the 2023 NFL Draft. Megan Campbell celebrated the moment on Instagram, writing that it was "so much fun" watching his dream come to life. From engagement to marriage Campbell proposed in June 2023 on the shores of West Okoboji Lake, where one of the nation's oldest amusement venues, Arnolds Amusement Park, draws visitors to Iowa's Great Lakes chain. The following year, the couple married. Megan Campbell later described their June 29, 2024, wedding on Instagram as "the best day of our lives surrounded by our family and friends." And she posted one of the most fantastic wedding videos you'll ever see. The wedding came as Jack Campbell was establishing himself in Detroit. By his third NFL season, he had become a first-team Associated Press All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection. His personal life soon reached another milestone. 'Our favorite chapter' In February 2026, the couple announced they were expecting their first child. "Half of me + half of you!!! Thank you, Lord, for this sweet gift," they wrote in a joint Instagram post. A post shared by Meg Campbell (@_megancampbelll) Weeks before the baby's arrival, Campbell signed a four-year, $81 million contract extension that keeps him under contract with Detroit through the 2030 season. Their son, Cooper James Campbell, was born July 3. A post shared by Meg Campbell (@_megancampbelll) Megan Campbell, 25, announced his arrival on Instagram, calling it "the beginning of our favorite chapter yet." Family at his side Megan Campbell has become a familiar presence at Ford Field, frequently attending Lions games to support her husband. Jack has shown that support is mutual: In December 2024, he arrived at the stadium ahead of a game wearing his wife's No. 11 Drake basketball jersey. A post shared by Detroit Lions (@detroitlionsnfl) Megan and Cooper were at Ford Field on Sunday when Jack was injured tackling Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson. Medical personnel immobilized Campbell's head and neck, and placed him on a backboard before he was taken from the field, The News reported. His teammates gathered around him as he was treated. Megan and Cooper were brought to the players' tunnel before Jack was transported to a hospital, The News reported. Lions coach Dan Campbell, who is not related to the linebacker, said Jack was breathing and alert when he left Ford Field. By Wednesday, Jack was able to provide an update himself. He said he had full movement in his lower body and was continuing to make progress with movement in his upper body, according to The News. The Lions have not announced a timetable for his recovery. More: Wojo: 'All heart' Jack Campbell fighting to get back up As Jack begins that recovery, he has pointed to faith and family among the sources of strength he will lean on. "My faith in God has never been stronger," he said in a statement. "I know He has a plan for me, and I trust in that plan. I know there may be challenges ahead, but with my faith, my family, and so many people in my corner, I know we’ll get through this." That family includes the college sweetheart who has been beside him from Iowa to Detroit and the son they welcomed in July.