Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell talks to referee regarding a call during the first half against Kansas City Chiefs Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Dan Campbell Reveals 'Sore Spot' From Chiefs Loss

Originally posted on Detroit Lions on SI
By John Maakaron | Last updated Oct 14, 2025 2:00 PM ET

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell was not really in the mood to again discuss the trick-play that ended up being penalized by officials for illegal motion on Jared Goff.

The fifth-year head coach accepted responsibility for the issues that arose and indicated the players on the field did exactly as they were told to do.

As a result of the penalty, a touchdown was taken off the board and the Lions were forced to settle for a field goal.

“I don’t even want to talk about it. I don’t. I’m sorry. It’s a real sore spot. I told the team I take full responsibility for that. I do," Campbell expressed, when asked if he spoken to officials at any point to get the play cleared. "The players did exactly what we told them to do.

"(Jared) Goff did exactly what we told him to do. David (Montgomery) did, too. And I’ll take that. You’ve got to make it very clear on where you are. And I didn’t do that. I told them I take responsibility for that.”

The trick-play ran required several parameters to be met in order for the play to be legal. When that level of confusion arises and the officials intervene, naturally questions are going to be asked regarding if the play was worth it to run at all.

Detroit's starting signal-caller indicated he needed to examine further what was actually wrong with the way the play was ran.

"I've got to do a little research on what exactly went wrong. My hands were not under center, and I was set to begin the play," said Goff. "As far as I was concerned, that was the only thing I needed to do. I’ve never heard this, but they were saying that as close as I was to the center, that then declares me as a quarterback and then I can’t go in motion."

Goff added, "I was under the impression that it was if my hands were under center. That’s a new version of the rule that I had never heard of, and I think a lot of our coaches had never heard of. If that is the rule, then I guess we just need to do a little bit more research on that."

Goff indicated the call was not the difference in the game and credited the Chiefs for executing better throughout the Sunday Night Football contest.

"It’s essentially an illegal formation that they are calling from the booth. I have never heard of that, but it’s not the difference in the game," said Goff. "It was a cool play that would have been fun to get a score on, and it would have been nice to get a touchdown there, but I don’t think that by any means, it would’ve flipped the game. There were a ton of other plays that they made, and we didn’t.

This article first appeared on Detroit Lions on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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