While being an NFL family certainly has it’s pros, Holly Campbell knows it also about navigating some cons, especially in the context of a marriage.
The wife of Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell joined the Sunday Sports Club Podcast, where she dove into some of the obstacles the family has faced throughout Dan’s career.
She began by emphasizing just how much she loves Detroit.
“We loved it when Dan played here. We love it now. The people are great. The excitement — being in the building, you just feel good, but it really does start from the top. Sheila is an amazing owner,” she said.
But when it comes down to it, Holly says the fans are the best part.
“They are so loyal. When you’re winning — and right now, a lot of the teams are successful, not just the Lions, like the Pistons and the Tigers, and I think the Red Wings are doing pretty well too … you can feel the excitement in the city, and Detroit deserves it,” she said.
But this football season wasn’t what many Lions fans had hoped for. The pair touched on the disappointment that comes with not making the playoffs and how they navigate that together. She says sometimes it’s just not your year—an answer Dan wouldn’t like.
“My husband would be like, ‘You don’t make excuses’, but from the wife who watches him busting his butt and feels so bad for him, there are excuses,” she said, laughing. “There are things that happened. … When you lose an entire position pretty much, it’s harder. You have a gaping hole in one of your most important units that you didn’t know you were gonna have until the last second.”
She said Dan still wouldn’t go for that—that there were chances to win in every game the Lions played, but she likes to defend him anyway.
Another part of their relationship, she says, is gauging what he needs after a loss. She emphasized Dan would never be outwardly angry, but she can feel when he’s upset.
“Normally after a loss we’ll talk a little bit if he feels like it and then he sits down at the kitchen table and starts watching film,” she said.
Truly a football guy. Holly goes on to touch on a number of other subjects, including how moving from city to city has affected their two kids. You can watch the full episode below.
And onto the rest of your notes.
- Great piece from Will Burchfield on 97.1 on Roy Lopez’s love for the Lions and desire to come back.
- Alex Anzalone becomes a three-time father. Congrats to No. 34 and his wife!
- Amon-Ra St. Brown is back in Los Angeles, near where he grew up, with a strong take that L.A. has the best food in the U.S.
- Some input from NFL analyst Lindsay Rhodes on the possibility of Mike McDaniel becoming the Lions’ next offensive coordinator.
- Speaking of, here’s a compilation of clips of McDaniel breaking down some of the things he’s learned over the years that’s pretty neat.
- The Lions are hosting a Girls Flag Football Coaching Clinic on March 14 at Ford Field.
- It’s okay if you skip this one. Former Lion D’Andre Swift talks about former Lion Matthew Stafford as they gear up to face off in the playoffs this weekend.
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