Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell got his team to within one game of the Super Bowl by being aggressive, both in tone and in decision-making. His style was commended when things were going well. But after a crucial decision backfired, fans and pundits took to social media to rip Campbell for coaching how he's been doing all season.

With just under 10 minutes to go in the fourth quarter of the NFC Championship game against the San Francisco 49ers, Campbell's Lions got the ball down 27-24.

After picking up two first downs, the drive stalled out and Detroit faced a fourth-and-three from the 49ers' 30-yard line. Rather than try a 47-yard field goal, Campbell opted to go for it on fourth down.

Jared Goff's pass fell incomplete, and the game fell apart from there. San Francisco promptly marched down the field for a touchdown, icing the game and sending the Niners to the Super Bowl.

Campbell's call questioned

ESPN's Mike Greenberg ripped Campbell for the decision on X (formerly Twitter.) “I love Dan Campbell, he’s my favorite coach in the sport. But he had a terrible night, right to the finish. Decisions you absolutely cannot defend.”

One fan pinned the loss squarely on Campbell, posting “What did I say? I said the Lions would lose because of a decision Dan Campbell made. And it came back to bite em. Take. The. Points.”

Former NFL quarterback Jim Everett weighed in as well, questioning Campbell's tendency to go for it on fourth down. “Understand Dan Campbell runs his [Lions] aggressive, but a few of those ‘go for it' 4th downs could’ve been a FG & 3 points. Points are still good? Right?”

Still, not everyone was ready to pile on Campbell for his decisions.

“It seems bizarre to spend all year (and especially this past week) lauding Dan Campbell for believing in his philosophy and his team for three years, having had those fourth-down decisions pay off over and over again for Detroit, and now insist that he should be kicking” said ESPN's Bill Barnwell.

Kevin Clark of ESPN hit on a similar note, posting “I'm good with Dan Campbell. You shouldn't abandon your football philosophy when it gets scary. That's how you end up being Brandon Staley.”