When he paid a visit to Detroit Lions training camp, WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan told reporters (however tongue-in cheekily) that head coach Dan Campbell might have missed a calling to be a professional wrestler, complete with giving out a nickname-"Dirty Dan" Campbell.
Campbell immediately got attention during his introductory press conference in 2021, then he landed on the national radar even more when the Lions were on the 2022 edition of "Hard Knocks." Now that the team is having high-level success on the field, Campbell is proving worthy of attention on a wider scale.
On Monday, Lions' running back Jahmyr Gibbs posted a photo on Instagram appearing to show Campbell (or a remarkable look-alike) working at Applebee's. Turns out that may have been a well-placed advanced promo.
Chicken wings and football naturally go together for many fans. As Week 1 approaches Applebee's is out with a new ad promoting their 50-cent boneless wings, starring Campbell as a waiter taking a customer's order.
Campbell makes the typical sales pitch for the 50-cent wings an Applebee's waiter or waitress would make, but with a coach's headset on and while covering his mouth with what looks to be the thing they bring you the bill in. When the male customer starts to give his order, Campbell urges the customers to follow his lead.
"Cover your mouth,” Campbell says. “They could steal your order.”
After both customers cover their mouths with their menus when ordering the wings, Campbell has a wry smile to convey his satisfaction that proper secrecy was maintained.
"Perfect. They’ll never see it coming.” Campbell said, in clear approval.
Check out the ad below.
Campbell seems to have some actual acting chops. That Applebee's chose him for this ad speaks to how well-known and liked he is on a national scale. No NFL fan is going to go "who the *bleep* is that?" when they see this ad.
The Lions' head coach is the star in a commercial for a national restaurant chain, promoting one of their most popular deals as football season gets rolling. It really is a whole new world for fans of the team.