Yeah, it was tough for the Lions. They had one hell of a season, only to fall short when it mattered most. The loss against the Commanders was unexpected given the season they had. While many fans were sobbing due to the loss, Dan Campbell, the HC of the Lions, came to the pressers and admitted it’s tough! After the game, Chiefs TE Travis Kelce shared an emotional message for Campbell.

In a recent episode of the New Heights podcast, Kelce said, “It ripped my heart out to see Coach Campbell go down.” He’s not wrong—Campbell was in tears in the post-game press conference. Kelce said this as he knows what the Lions went through, especially since Campbell joined the den. The Lions have turned things around over the last four seasons. From that rough 3-13-1 record in 2021 to a stellar 15-2-0 in 2024. He got them to two consecutive playoff matches in both seasons. In last season, in the 2023 playoffs, they lost to the San Francisco 49ers in the Conference Championship, ruining their Super Bowl dream. So Kelce’s words are coming from a genuine place where he understands what it meant to the Lions and Dan.

Campbell was just breaking down when he said, “It just hurts to lose, man. I don’t care if you’re the seventh seed, sixth seed, fifth seed, one seed… because I’ve lost all of them, damn near”. As he lost to the Commanders with 1st seed and previously to the 49ers with a 6th seed. He lost to Oakland as 7th seed when he was with the Dolphins back in 2015 as a TE’s coach. Having so many heartbreaks in his coaching career must’ve taken a toll on him. Seeing a toughie like Campbell going down must’ve touched Kelce.

Travis admitted that the Lions were pretty good throughout the season but the Commanders were excellent on the day. “That Lions team was super fun to watch, man, but the Commanders, they earned that one.” Yeah, you win the day, you win it all. This isn’t the first time Travis Kelce has praised Campbell. On the podcast a couple of years ago, Kelce said, “Not going to lie, after watching Hard Knocks, I kind of became a fan of the Lions and some of the characters they got. Dan Campbell? Would love to play for him. Awesome guy.” This shows nothing but respect from the Chiefs’ TE for the HC.

Dan Campbell & Lions’ heartbreaking defeat against the Commanders

Man, that game against the Commanders was a tough pill to swallow for the Lions. They went in with high hopes, but turnovers and missed opportunities cost them big time. The 45-31 loss knocked them out of the playoffs. Their offense showed flashes of brilliance, with Jahmyr Gibbs rushing for 175 yards and 2 touchdowns. With Amon-Ra St. Brown making clutch catches with 7 receptions for 85 yards. But those 5 turnovers? They were killer. Their defense had its moments too, like Mike Sainristil’s two interceptions, including a pick-six, but they just couldn’t stop the Commanders when it mattered most. That second quarter where Washington put up four touchdowns was a gut punch. Campbell used all his tricks, and they showed some fight, but they fell short of their Super Bowl dream.

However, Campbell’s arrival into the Lion den surely worked out in the best way possible for the team, even if they didn’t win. Just look at Jared Goff’s numbers—he went from throwing 3,245 yards and 19 TDs in 2021 to a whopping 4,575 yards and 30 TDs in 2023. Then there’s Amon-Ra St. Brown, who jumped from 912 yards and 6 TDs in 2021 to an impressive 1,515 yards and 10 TDs in 2023. And let’s not forget Jahmyr Gibbs, who racked up 945 rushing yards and 316 receiving yards in 2023. Campbell was indeed the difference for them, he led the Lions to their first division title since 1993 in 2023 and their first playoff win since 1991. But this season was something else for them.

From the get-go, they were on target, starting with a bang against the Packers 34-10 in Week 1. They kept the momentum going with clutch wins like the one against the Chiefs, where they nailed a last-minute field goal, winning 31-28. They finished the regular season with a stellar 15-2-0 record, securing the NFC North title. Despite falling short in the end, Campbell has a reason to smile. He’s been nominated for Coach of the Year. And we know he looks at the team before himself, so his eye will be on the next season more than anything.