The internet is roasting Dan Campbell.
The Lions head coach made perhaps one of the strangest decisions in NFL playoff history by opting to go for it on fourth down instead of kicking a game-tying field goal with Detroit trailing 27-24 midway through the fourth quarter.
Instead, the Lions blew a chance at making it to the Super Bowl for the first with a 34-31 loss to the 49ers in the NFC Championship game on Sunday at Levi’s Stadium.
Campbell, who is known for his aggressive play-calling style, held the kicking team on the sideline on a fourth-and-3 at the Niners’ 30-yard line.
The Lions failed to convert on the attempt and turned the ball over.
San Francisco went 70 yards on a seven-play drive to score on the ensuing possession to make it 34-24.
Fans did not hold back on their amusement by it all.
“The 49ers won by 3 points Imagine if Dan Campbell kicked the field goals…,” one fan wrote on X.
“Campbell deserves to get fired for not attempting a late 4th quarter game tying fg. Never seen no wild s–t like that in my life ever,” another user said.
“Dan Campbell drawing an 18 in blackjack: “hit me,” comedian Sam Morril joked on X.
“Gotta respect dan campbell for single handedly eliminating his own team from the playoffs,” someone else added.
The Lions let a 17-point halftime lead get away from them in what ended up tying the 2012 Atlanta Falcons for the largest blown lead in an NFC title game.
Campbell didn’t seem to have any regrets about the aggressive fourth down play calling.
“I just felt really good about us converting and getting our momentum and not letting them play longball,” the Lions coach said. “They were bleeding the clock out, that’s what they do, and I wanted to get the upper hand back. It’s easy hindsight and I get it. I get that, but I don’t regret those decisions and that’s hard. Because we didn’t come through and it wasn’t able to work out.
“I understand the scrutiny I’ll get. That’s part of the gig, but it just didn’t work out.”
It’s safe to say Campbell will feel plenty of that scrutiny if he opens up his social media.
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