Lions Head Coach Responds to the Backlash Over Controversial 4th Down Decisions, Ending Detroit’s Season

🏈Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell said after Sunday’s crushing NFC Championship Game loss to the 🏈San Francisco 49ers that he had no regrets about his team’s two failed attempts to convert on 4th down.

Both plays were within field goal range, and Campbell’s team came up empty each time, meaning drives that had kept the 49ers defense on its heels died.

Fans of the perennially downtrodden franchise eventually saw a 17-point halftime advantage slip away, along with their hopes of playing in the Super Bowl.

“I just felt really good about us converting,” Campbell said during his post-game media conference while defending his aggressive game plan.

“I don’t regret those decisions,” he added. “And it’s hard. It’s hard because we didn’t come through, and it wasn’t able to work out. But I don’t. I don’t.”

Campbell, whose gritty Lions had converted more 4th down attempts than any other team in the league this season, also said he knew his decisions would be second-guessed and that he was ready to accept that.