NFL World Awestruck by Lions Coach Dan Campbell’s Gutsy Fake Punt Call
With two Super Bowl victories in the past four seasons, the Chiefs are well on their way to building a dynasty.
Indeed, with the great Patrick Mahomes under center, Kansas City boasts a gaudy 64–16 regular-season record. Opponents know they need to play to their potential—and probably take a few chances—to beat the Chiefs head-to-head.
Meantime, the Lions are a trendy pick to win the NFC North this season under third-year coach Dan Campbell.
So perhaps it shouldn’t have been a total surprise that Campbell reached into his bag of tricks early in Thursday’s Lions-Chiefs season opener in Kansas City. With the Lions facing fourth-and-2 from their own 17-yard line, Campbell made the bold decision to go for it.
Detroit’s Jalen Reeves-Maybin subsequently took the direct snap and ran for three yards and a first down. The Lions ultimately drove the length of the field and scored the game’s opening touchdown on their way to a 21-20 win.
NFL fans and observers loved the gutsy call.
The call by Campbell marked the first time since the 2019 season that an NFL team attempted a fake punt inside its own 20-yard line, per NBC’s Mike Tirico. In that instance, the Ravens successfully ran a fake punt on fourth-and-1 from their own 11-yard line against the Steelers on Dec. 29, 2019.
