Dan Campbell had a 10-year career as an NFL player before adding on another decade as a coach. Now with the Detroit Lions, football has been a part of his life forever.
However, Campbell’s life extends beyond the field as the Lions’ head coach. Here is a closer look at Campbell’s family and wife.
Campbell Has the Support of His Wife and Family in Detroit
The Lions coach has been married to Holly Campbell since 1999. The pair have two children together, Cody and Piper. Cody is working on his master’s degree and Piper is still in high school.
They all made the move together to Detroit after Campbell got the Lions’ head coaching job in 2021.
Jason Garrett caught up with Lions head coach Dan Campbell before the biggest game of their season.
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The Campbells married the same year he was drafted by the New York Giants as a third-round pick.
Campbell played in the NFL for 10 years before he moved on to a coaching career, starting as an assistant coach on the Miami Dolphins and the New Orleans Saints before moving on to the Lions.
When Campbell was first announced as the Lions’ new head coach, he gave an opening statement. He shouted out to his wife for her support through their long and transient marriage.
“I have to thank a lot of people, OK?” Campbell said, per the Detroit Free Press. “First and foremost, my wife, Holly. We’ve been married for over 20 years. She’s been my rock, man. She’s moved with me, she tells me exactly how it is — in a good way — well not always in a good way, but my point is, she’s going to let me know exactly what she thinks, and that’s a good thing.”
His son Cody even played at Trinity University before he graduated in May 2022, per his LinkedIn page. He now attends the University of Michigan where he is pursuing a master’s in business analytics.
Cody shares his father’s passion for working in the NFL. He has held internships with the New Orleans Saints and the Lions.
Piper is still in high school and is incredibly proud of her father for the work he’s done with the Lions. In a tribute to her father that she posted on Instagram in Jan. 2023, Piper wrote about how much she loves her dad and looks forward to his future with the team.
“This has been crazy. You have shown everyone what the lions are truly made of,” she wrote. “You gave the city something to fight for and that this is not the ‘same old lions’. I cannot wait to see what you do in the future, I know it will be big. I’m so proud of you and love you so much🥰🦁.”
Holly will tell you Dan is always the loudest voice and the biggest talker in the room. That is not necessarily a bad thing in Detroit.
“You can laugh hysterically or get to the point where you say, ‘Stop, just stop talking,’ ” she told the outlet.
Holly isn’t the only one who is charmed by his spirit. She told The Athletic fans to stop to chat with Dan everywhere they go, and he’s happy to carry the conversation.
“I’ve always told him he’s magic,” she said. “He’s like the pied piper.”