Since taking over as head coach of the Detroit Lions in 2021, Dan Campbell has played a pivotal role in the team’s recent success.
They went from a 1-6 start to an 8-2 run during the midpoint of his sophomore campaign, just missing the playoffs on a tiebreak. They have enjoyed success in 2023 with their first divisional title since Barry Sanders’s tenure.
But it hasn’t all been sunshine and roses. The Lions were within one point on Saturday at the Dallas Cowboys thanks to a last-second touchdown, but they were ultimately defeated after James Mitchell mishandled the two-point throw after they had tried it three times in a row.
After the final whistle blew, Campbell was ridiculed and criticized because he wouldn’t have been satisfied with a safer kick that would have prompted overtime and given the team a second, more certain chance to win.
How Dan Campbell, Lions’ failed two-point play came to be
Dan Campbell did not consider kicking instead, despite the fact that a more prudent coach would have for reasonable reasons.
Any additional playing time might have just increased the risk of injury for his best players, as the Detroit Lions had already secured their first division title in thirty years. But his first two-point play execution proved to be his downfall.
Post game report- Dan's got dick spit flying all over 😆 🤣 #danCampbell #espn #mikeMcCarthy #DallasCowboys #mondaynightfootball pic.twitter.com/slPwwrfZIB
— Kevin LeClair (@SPAHeatingNY) December 31, 2023
The first play had been set up for Taylor Decker, who would report as eligible and be the decoy for his offensive tackle partner, Dan Skipper. But a flag was raised, and it was decided that the former had not carried out his role adequately.
The head coach was offended by this and maintained that he had conferred with the officials: