Dan Campbell is easily the most successful coach in the history of the Detroit Lions since Wayne Fontes in the 1990s, when Barry Sanders was the face of the franchise. However, he is not prone to questionable coaching decisions – like what happened on Sunday.
With twelve minutes remaining and his team down ten against the visiting Buffalo Bills in their clash of divisional champions, he called for an onside kick after Jahmyr Gibbs scored a touchdown. Unfortunately for him, Mack Hollins recovered it and took it all the way to the five:
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Ray Davis then rushed into the endzone to increase the Bills’ lead to 17. Afterward, there was much anger:
More of the anger can be seen below:
“Did he just wanna give it to the bills?” one wondered.
“Lmfao who called this?” another demanded.
“They gonna be talking about this play all day tomorrow,” another rued.
Gibbs would rush for another touchdown to bring the Lions’ deficit back down to ten. However, Tyler Bass hit a 41-yarder to bring it back up to 13.
A history of Dan Campbell’s dubious coaching decisions
It is not as if Dan Campbell is known for these kinds of blunders, however.
Back in 2022, in just his second season in Detroit, the Lions were going up against the Minnesota Vikings. They had “gone for it” (doing a scrimmage play on fourth down) six times, succeeding in three of them. And with 1:14 seconds left, they were up 27-24, facing a fourth-and-4 from the opposing 36.
But rather than draw up a run or pass play, he sent in Austin Seibert, who had already missed a 48-yarder off the right post. He missed the subsequent 54-yarder.
The Vikings then took just three plays to score a touchdown, winning the game 28-24. Afterwards, Campbell admitted:
“I frickin’ regret my decision there in the end. I should have gone for it on fourth down, and I told the team I should’ve gone for it… I hate it, and I do feel like I cost our team.”
Late in the 2023 season, he did it again, trying a two-pointer thrice consecutively after scoring a touchdown late at the Dallas Cowboys. All attempts failed, and the Lions lost.
Their ensuing postseason run would end with a blown 17-point lead in an NFC Championship Game that was marked by multiple dubious decisions, ironically including going for it rather than sending in Michael Badgley for a field goal, leading to a drop by Josh Reynolds that the San Francisco 49ers punished with a touchdown.
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Edited by Brad Taningco
