Lions Coach’s Wife Reveals Her Unexpected Game-Day Ritual: Hiding in the Suite Bathroom
Holly Campbell, the wife of Dan Campbell, head coach of the Detroit Lions, shared some surprising and quirky details about how she handles game days when the team is under pressure. 🏈
In an exclusive interview with People Magazine, Holly admitted that when things aren’t going well on the field, she sometimes retreats to the suite’s bathroom — watching the game cast on her phone, waiting for the cheers to tell her it’s safe to come out.
She says that sit-out helps her feel like she has some control over the chaotic nature of an NFL game day. “It’s like a break,” Holly said. “I can just… sit on the toilet and watch the gamecast on ESPN and just wait for the cheers so I can come out.”
The rituals don’t end there. Holly walks to the field at home games about an hour before kickoff. She and Dan share a pre-game kiss at the tunnel entrance, and if she can’t be in person she’s FaceTiming him from wherever she is. If she attended the game wearing something unlucky, she’ll “put that outfit on ice for a while.”
In other words: between the “hidden bathroom strategy” and the outfit superstition, Holly has established her own kind of sideline strategy to help the Lions’ fortunes. And so far, Detroit is off to a solid 4-2 start this season. Holly says she’s hopeful the streak continues — and maybe, just maybe, her hunches and hiding-spots are contributing in some small way.
It’s a fun, human moment that peels back some of the polish of NFL game day and shows that even the spouses and families of coaches carry their own rituals, superstitions, and nerves. Holly’s approach may seem unconventional — but hey, if you believe it helps the team, why not?
Inside the Campbells’ Game-Day Routine: From Pre-game Kiss to Bathroom Retreat
