Dan Campbell channeled his inner Maverick from Top Gun, but this onside kick wasn’t exactly the moment to go all out. The Detroit Lions suddenly took a 180-degree turn with a head-scratching onside kick against the Buffalo Bills, and NFL fans and insiders were not letting it slide.
The attempt left everyone wondering — why risk it? The Bills didn’t waste the gift, capitalizing on the field position to shift momentum. While Campbell’s bold play-calling has earned him fans, this one had the NFL world buzzing for all the wrong reasons. Risky or reckless? You tell us.
NFL World Roasts Dan Campbell’s Onside Kick Gamble
Campbell’s decision to pull off a surprising onside kick against the Bills has left the NFL world scratching their heads. Down 10 points with 12 minutes left, the Lions’ head coach gambled, and it backfired.
Mind you, it was only a 10-point deficit.
NFL insider Bill Simmons didn’t hold back. “Campbell’s onside kick call was idiotic. That made no sense and it wasn’t defensible,” he posted on X (formerly known as Twitter).
Campbell’s onside kick call was idiotic. That made no sense and it wasn’t defensible.
— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) December 16, 2024
Skip Bayless chimed in, praising Campbell’s cultural impact on the team but slamming the decision: “This gamble blew up in the Lions’ faces.”
With the Lions needing composure to stay in the playoff hunt, the timing of the call was baffling.
I know Dan Gamble has changed the culture and confidence in Detroit, but onside kicking with 12 minutes left??? This gamble blew up in the Lions' faces.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) December 16, 2024
Jeremy Fowler from ESPN echoed the sentiment, pointing out Campbell’s usual knack for bold but calculated moves: “Dan Campbell has pushed all of the right buttons in Detroit but there’s no defending that move.”
Dan Campbell has pushed all of the right buttons in Detroit but there's no defending that move.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) December 16, 2024
Analyst Trey Wingo reacted: “Why…why? This makes absolutely no sense and why Dan Campbell needs to know when to not do stuff like this.”
J.J. Watt, typically a fan of aggressive coaching, was just as perplexed: “It was a 10-point game. With 12 minutes left. I don’t understand.”
Mike Greenberg wrapped up the collective disbelief: “I love Dan Campbell; he’s probably everybody’s favorite coach in the NFL. But I really, really question that decision.”
Campbell’s aggressive reputation, often a strength, became his Achilles’ heel here.
The Lions have made strides this season (boasting a 12-2 record), but this moment of overthinking could haunt them. In the high-stakes NFL, gambles need to pay off — or else they risk derailing hopes.
Campbell’s call might have been bold, but as the league made clear, bold doesn’t always mean smart.
Bills Turn Campbell’s Risky Onside Kick Into Instant Payoff
Down 38-28 with 12 minutes left, Campbell dialed up one of his boldest (and most baffling) calls yet.
The result? Predictably disastrous.
The Bills pounced on the kick and stormed downfield, returning it to Detroit’s five-yard line. The team wasted no time, converting the field position into points and all but sealing the Lions’ fate. Josh Allen hit rookie running back Ray Davis on a passing touchdown, Allen’s second of the day through the air and fourth overall.
Campbell’s reputation for gutsy coaching (and occasional overthinking) took a hit. Last week, his aggression worked wonders against the Green Bay Packers.
Meanwhile, the Bills’ dominant showing puts them back in the Super Bowl conversation.
