Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell Had a Completely Ridiculous, Totally On-Brand Request for His Sideline
“Pardon My Take” of Barstool Sports is one of the most popular sports podcasts in the world, hosted by Dan “Big Cat” Katz and Eric Sollenberger (a.k.a. PFT Commenter).
In one of their most recent episodes, the duo conducted an interview with Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell, and during the interview, Campbell revealed that he had made one of the most ridiculous requests for his sideline that I’ve ever heard of.
That request? Putting a live lion on Detroit’s sideline during games. He apparently garnered support from the Detroit Lions owner, Sheila Hamp, as well for this request. “Sheila, she had no problem with it, but the league apparently frowns on those types of things,” Campbell said.
There have been live mascots used in the NFL over the years, including Rise and Conquer, two live ravens in Baltimore, as well as Thunder II, a live horse that appears at Denver Broncos games. However, it appears that Campbell won’t be able to get a lion on his sideline.
So, who is to blame for the Lions head coach not getting his wish? Well, Campbell isn’t going to point fingers at anyone in particular, but it seems that the NFL as a whole wasn’t too fond of the idea of the predatory cat being on a sideline. “I’m not gonna point out Roger on this, I’m just gonna say the league frowns on that, let’s just say that,” said Campbell.
Campbell was hired by the Lions in 2021 and immediately stole the hearts of many NFL fans with his passionate spirit and wiry personality. In his opening press conference, Campbell stated that the team would “bite a kneecap off” of their opponents.
While Detroit finished with a paltry 3-13-1 record during Campbell’s first season as head coach, the second-worst record in the league, they certainly began turning things around in 2022.
After starting the 2022 season with a 1-6 record, the Lions would go on to rattle off victories in eight of their final 10 games. They concluded the season by defeating the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field, finishing the season 9-8.
While that final game of the regular season ultimately meant very little to Detroit (they were eliminated from playoff contention just hours before kickoff), the victory did mean that Green Bay would not be able to make the playoffs, either. The Minnesota Vikings won the NFC North last year behind their 13-4 record and were the only team to participate in the playoffs from the division.
That is the type of competitive nature that Campbell has built in Detroit over the past two seasons, and heading into 2023, they look poised to go even further. Many have chosen the up-and-coming team to win the NFC North this year.
With a high-flying offense and what looks to be a much-improved defensive unit, the Lions have all the makings of a playoff team this year. Time will tell if Campbell and his group can live up to the hype.
Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.