As the start of the NFL season approaches, Applebee's dropped a new ad featuring Lions' head coach Dan Campbell on Tuesday. If you'd like to watch it again, and why wouldn't you?, do so here.
On Wednesday, after the reaction to it, Campbell talked about the ad on 97.1 The Ticket.
"I got off the practice field yesterday, and I come in, my phone’s on my desk, I turn it over and I’m like, ‘Oh my god,’ I’m just blow(ing) up,” Campbell said. “The first thing you’re thinking is, ‘I hope there’s not a death in the family.’ And then you realize it’s ‘Hey, I’ll have the 50 cent wings’ from a cousin of mine. It’s endless. ‘Hey, nice one, man. Give me one of those wings.’ So you’re just getting picked at. I’m like, ‘Oh god, they dropped the commercial.’”
At his press conference Wednesday morning, the Applebee's ad was naturally brought up again.
"Look, this was something I’ve been reluctant (to do)," Campbell said, via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. "My wife and my daughter are constantly like, ‘You got to do it. You ought to do it. Do this. Do this.’ So, they talked me into the Applebee’s deal, and I said, ‘All right, we’ll do it.’"
Dan Campbell suggests he has done more commercials
Campbell went on to talk about the experience he had doing the ad.
"I had fun with it,, The staff and crew that worked with us were unbelievable. The actors were awesome. I mean, they made it what it is. They were unbelievable. They made me feel comfortable, and we just did it."
"And unfortunately, there’s more to come, I’m afraid. They were unbelievable, though. They did a great job.”
Campbell was asked if he had any experience doing ads when he was a player, and said he did a spot when he was with the Dallas Cowboys. He was light on details, understandably in hindsight. But in an "the internet is undefeated" moment, the ad was found quickly.
Campbell appeared in a Cowboys' season ticket ad back in the day.
So the Applebee's ad is apparently just the beginning of a star turn for Campbell in ad campaigns of some sort. He said there are more to come.
"Unfortunately, there’s more to come, I’m afraid."
Most if not all Lions' fans, and most if not all NFL fans, would say it's not unfortunate that Campbell will be in more commercials.