Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson called out a Detroit Lions fan for their choice of sign at Ford Field on Sunday.
NBC cameras shared a fan sign during the Lions-Tampa Bay Buccaneers Divisional Round contest that referenced Dan Campbell’s memorable “bite off a kneecap” soundbite in his introductory press conference as the team’s head coach three years ago.
Jefferson took to X/Twitter and displayed his unhappiness with the sign, writing, “Yall wild for posting this (thumbs down emoji) This ain’t cool!!”
Some fans and observers noted that Jefferson might have found the sign classless because Lions safety Kerby Joseph delivered hits on tight ends T.J. Hockenson (Vikings) and Tyler Higbee (Los Angeles Rams) that caused them to suffer season-ending ACL tears.
When Campbell was introduced as the Lions’ new head coach on Jan. 21, 2021, he memorably said, “When you knock us down, we’re gonna get up…and bite a kneecap off”.
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Many fans and pundits couldn’t help but poke fun at Campbell’s statement, but he certainly got the last laugh three years later. Campbell and GM Brad Holmes quickly rebuilt a longtime losing franchise into a juggernaut, having just led Detroit to its first NFC Championship Game since the 1991 season.
The Lions outlasted the Los Angeles Rams on Super Wild Card Weekend to win their first playoff game in 32 years. After winning a single playoff game between 1958 and 2022, the Lions doubled that total in a span of one week.
Now after outlasting Tampa Bay, the Lions are one victory away from playing in their first ever Super Bowl.
