As the Detroit Lions prepare to face the San Francisco 49ers on Monday night, memories of their NFC Championship Game loss to the 49ers last year have resurfaced. Players, particularly Amon-Ra St. Brown, are likely motivated by a sense of revenge.

In that NFC title game, the Lions held a 24-7 halftime lead, but it slipped away. Dan Campbell’s decision to go for it on two fourth downs instead of attempting field goals in critical moments was widely criticized. However, that criticism often overlooked the reasoning behind Campbell’s choices, particularly given the lack of trust in his kicker in those conditions. This is why many other coaches are more conservative, fearing the backlash that would follow any failure.

Had either or both of those fourth downs been converted and the Lions advanced to the Super Bowl, Campbell would have been hailed as a hero for his aggressive approach. But since the result didn’t go in his favor, some analysts continue to criticize his strategy.

Dan Campbell won’t forget the NFC Championship Game loss to the 49ers

On Saturday, Campbell addressed the media, and the first question was about how much last year’s playoff loss still affects him. He has previously mentioned a Super Bowl loss with the New York Giants in his second year as a player, a loss that still sticks with him, and he brought it up again on Saturday.

“Yeah, sure, that’ll stay with me — just like my second year in the league when we went to the Super Bowl and got hammered by Baltimore. I’ll never forget that,” Campbell said. “Losses like that stay with you. You learn from every experience, and unfortunately, the best lessons come from the losses.”

Despite this, Campbell emphasized that he is able to compartmentalize last year’s loss and focus on this year’s game against the 49ers, who have a 6-9 record and are out of playoff contention.

“You don’t want to experience that feeling again, and to avoid it, you have to prepare a certain way, play a certain way, and stay focused on the task at hand for that week’s opponent,” Campbell explained. “This is the next team we face, and you just need to keep your cool, maintain your composure, stay disciplined, and execute the small things that lead to victory. It really is that simple.”

It’s often said that losing hurts more than winning feels good. A loss like last year’s NFC Championship Game is one that’s tough to forget, and Campbell’s remarks are a clear reflection of how deeply that loss still affects him and the Lions.