Like many Lions fans everywhere, Holly Campbell is still reeling from Saturday's crushing loss.
Hours after the Leaders upset the NFC's top seed with a 45-31 divisional-round win in Detroit, Lions coach Dan Campbell's wife posted an emotional message on Instagram as she digested the season-ending loss.
“It hurts,” Holly wrote alongside a picture of a broken heart. “This season was a dream and no one wanted it to end. We all wanted more. Detroit deserves more. We will come back better and stronger but today… it just hurts.”
Holly concluded her message with a blue heart emoji and the hashtag “One Pride.”
After a bye week of capturing the NFC North and the conference's top seed, the Lions were unable to tame the sixth-seeded leaders, who advanced to their first NFC title game in 33 years.
Washington will visit the Eagles in the NFC Championship game next weekend.
Campbell, whose Lions failed to reach a Super Bowl berth last year by losing the NFC Championship game to the 49ers, cried in his postgame news conference.
“Losing hurts, man,” Campbell said. “And I don't care if you're 7 seeds, 6 seeds, 5 seeds, 1 seed. Because I lost them all, so close to them. And it stings and it hurts. It hurts. You have to pick yourself up, your body is pounding, and you stay locked in mentally and do those things. This season is so long .
Campbell, 48, has been at the helm of Detroit since 2021, turning the club from a struggling 3-13-1 team in his rookie season to a solid 15-2 this year.
Holly, who has been married to Campbell since 1999, posted encouraging messages on social media throughout the season, including in the Lions' regular season finale against the Vikings in Week 18.
With the NFC North title and top seed on the line, Holly took on Sansa Stark (played by Sophie Turner) on the HBO fantasy series “Game of Thrones.”
In a message shared on her Instagram Stories in late December, Holly wrote: “If we don't take back the North, we will never be safe. I want you to help me, but I will do it myself if I have to.”
The Lions demolished the Vikings on January 5, 31-9.
Minnesota's postseason ended last Monday with a 27-9 loss to the Rams.
