Getty Alex Anzalone celebrates a 2021 play against Minnesota.
Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell doesn’t appear to be losing any support in the locker room after his controversial calls in the NFC Championship game.
Campbell came under fire for his decision to go for it on a pair of fourth downs in the second half of the 34-31 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, including one late in the fourth quarter where the Lions coach gave up a chance to tie the game. The Lions failed to convert both times as the 49ers erased a 17-point halftime deficit to return to the Super Bowl.
Campbell defended his decision immediately after the game, and now veteran linebacker Alex Anzalone is standing behind his coach.
Alex Anzalone: ‘We Were All Behind Dan’
In an open letter to Detroit fans published in The Players’ Tribune on February 6, Anzalone addressed the controversial calls from his head coach. Anzalone said that all players on the team agreed with the decision to go for it on fourth down and there were no regrets about the call.
“We were all behind Dan on the 4th down call,” Anzalone wrote. “Let’s get that out of the way first. If you could rewind time, we’d all do it again. A hundred times out of a hundred. The offense. The defense. Everybody. If you have been following this team’s journey for the last three years, then you know how we play football. You know the mentality that got us here.”
Alex Anzalone backs Dan Campbell 🔥
Anzalone went on to say that it was the “right decision,” and not just from an analytics standpoint. He said the entire team bought into Campbell’s aggressive approach, crediting the head coach with inheriting a team that was 0-10-1 and turning them into an NFC Championship participant in just a few years.
“It was the right call for us, especially in that moment,” he wrote. “When you’re in that situation, 20 games into an NFL season, it’s not like a video game. You’re not playing Madden. You had guys out there playing with bum ankles. Guys playing with MCL sprains. Guys taking nerve injections and Toradol. Guys who could barely get out of bed that morning. It’s a battle of wills at that point in the season.”
Dan Campbell Described Decision
Speaking to reporters immediately after the game, Campbell had a more nuanced rationale for going for it, especially the call late in the fourth quarter. At that point the Lions were trailing by three points and could have attempted a game-tying field goal, but he pointed out that the 49ers were controlling the ball and would have taken possession with enough time to bleed out the clock and win the game.
Campbell said he wanted the Lions to keep possession and try for a go-ahead score instead of a tie.
“I just felt really good about us converting and getting our momentum and not letting them play long ball,” Campbell 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 that, but I don’t regret those decisions.”