Dan Campbell had to move thanks to a bad Lions fan who took matters too far

For decades, the Detroit Lions served as the laughingstock of the league. As a perennial loser, the Lions were often the butt of late-night comedy jokes. Despite the frequent heartache they provided, their fanbase has been known for their unwavering loyalty and passion.

Sometimes, however, that passion can go a bit too far.

When the Lions named Dan Campbell as their new head coach in 2021, the hiring was heavily mocked and criticized. Campbell, a former player, was the New Orleans Saints tight ends coach and had minimal head coaching experience. Yet, Campbell’s team displayed a gritty and aggressive mentality that reflected the attitude of the city. 

The 48-year-old coach accomplished something that no coach had managed to do in Detroit: win. Campbell resurrected the career of quarterback Jared Goff and transformed the Lions into a championship contender. In 2023, the Lions won consecutive playoff for the first time since 1957. 

Campbell has endeared himself to Detroit fans with his passionate and unconventional approach to coaching, but some younger fans have reacted to the newfound success in an unacceptable manner.

Lions fan doxxed Dan Campbell after NFC Championship Game loss

Campbell was forced to sell his home in Oakland County amid security concerns after his address became public. Campbell told Nick Manes of Crain’s Detroit Business that his family loved the house, but reluctantly decided to move somewhere more private after fans began to show up at the property

Campbell’s home address was posted on Snapchat in late January after the team lost the NFC Championship Game, according to police reports obtained by The Detroit News.

There were at least four police reports of unwanted visitors, which prompted the NFL’s security officials to get involved. An investigation revealed that a high school classmate of Campbell’s daughter posted the address on Snapchat.

“Dumb f--- trying to go for it,” the classmate commented in the Snapchat post.

The comment refers to Campbell’s aggressive play-calling in the NFC Championship Game against the San Francisco 49ers. After taking a 17-point lead in the first half, the Lions seemed poised to make their first Super Bowl appearance in franchise history. The Niners ultimately stormed back for a 34-31 win after several errors from Detroit. 

In the second half, Campbell opted to attempt two fourth-down conversions instead of kicking 48-yard and 45-yard field goals to extend the lead. Both conversions failed, which caused Campbell to face heavy scrutiny in the aftermath of the meltdown. 

Campbell and his wife, Holly, became “nervous for the security of their daughter,” according to the report. Since both parents were in San Francisco for the game, their daughter was home alone with her boyfriend when vehicles began showing up outside of the house.

The classmate who leaked the address claimed he was “distraught” by the team’s playoff loss and “found humor” in the Snapchat post. 

Although the Campbell family “loved” the house, they decided to sell it due to concerns that people would know when they were out of town for road games this season.

“The neighborhood, everything,” Campbell said of the appeal of the house last week. “There’s plenty of space, it’s on 2 acres, the home is beautiful. It’s just that people figured out where we lived when we lost.”

The five-bedroom house was originally built by former Detroit Red Wings center Igor Larionov in 2013, and Campbell purchased it after being hired as the Lions head coach. The house was listed for sale at $4.5 million last week, and it is currently listed as “pending,” according to the report. The identity of the new buyers was not disclosed, but they are reportedly “huge” Lions fans.

Campbell declined to comment on selling the house, according to ESPN. Instead, he commented on his appreciation for the fanbase.

"Our fans are unbelievable," he said last Friday. "There's nowhere that I would want to be or any other team that I'd want to coach for."