Lions’ Dan Campbell on How to Handle His Risky In-Game Decisions: ‘Wear a Diaper’

Perhaps 22 fourth-down attempts in nine games aren’t good for digestion.
Lions’ Dan Campbell on How to Handle His Risky In-Game Decisions: ‘Wear a Diaper’
Lions’ Dan Campbell on How to Handle His Risky In-Game Decisions: ‘Wear a Diaper’ /
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Lions coach Dan Campbell has managed to strike the perfect balance between winning and keeping Detroit fans on the edge of their seats this season.

On one hand, the Lions are 7-2 this season—a record that would constitute their highest winning percentage since they went 11-3 in 1962. At the same time, Detroit has attempted 22 fourth-down conversions this season—tied with the Giants for most in the NFL.

In the wake of another Lions thriller—a 41-38 road win over the Chargers on Sunday—Campbell offered sage advice Tuesday morning on how to cope with his affinity for taking risks.

“Here’s what I would say, because I tell my family this, just wear a diaper before some of these games,” Campbell told reporters. “I’ll give them an alert and say, ‘Put them on and be ready to roll.’”

Detroit is successfully converting on 54.6% of its fourth-down attempts, a rate which 11th in the league.

The Lions, who currently hold the No. 2 seed in the NFC, play host to the Bears (3-7) at 1 p.m. ET Sunday before meeting the Packers (3-6) on Thanksgiving.


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Patrick Andres
PATRICK ANDRES

Patrick Andres is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He joined SI in December 2022, having worked for The Blade, Athlon Sports, Fear the Sword and Diamond Digest. Andres has covered everything from zero-attendance Big Ten basketball to a seven-overtime college football game. He is a graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism with a double major in history .