Justin Jefferson, a wide receiver for the Minnesota Vikings, criticized a Detroit Lions fan for the sign they displayed at Ford Field during the Lions-Tampa Bay Buccaneers Divisional Round game on Sunday. The sign referenced Dan Campbell’s famous “bite off a kneecap” quote from his introductory press conference as the Lions’ head coach three years ago, which was captured by NBC cameras.
Jefferson expressed his disapproval of the sign on Twitter, writing, “Yall wild for posting this (thumbs down emoji) This ain’t cool!!”
Some fans and observers speculated that Jefferson found the sign distasteful due to recent injuries on the field inflicted by Lions safety Kerby Joseph on tight ends T.J. Hockenson (Vikings) and Tyler Higbee (Los Angeles Rams), resulting in season-ending ACL tears.
When Campbell was hired as the Lions’ head coach in 2021, his “knock us down, we’re gonna get up… and bite a kneecap off” statement gained widespread attention.
Despite the initial mockery, Campbell and GM Brad Holmes successfully transformed the long-struggling Lions into a formidable team. The Lions recently reached their first NFC Championship Game since 1991, following their victory over the Los Angeles Rams on Super Wild Card Weekend, marking their first playoff win in 32 years. Surpassing Tampa Bay, the Lions are now just one win away from potentially reaching their first ever Super Bowl.
