Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell has stressed his regret over a recently unearthed homophobic comment.
Earlier this month, the Detroit Free Press reported on a homophobic remark that Campbell, 44, made while attending Texas A&M University in 1998.
Campbell, then 22, told 40,000 people at a pep rally that he was proud to attend a college where “men like women and women like men.”
A few days after the event, Campbell offered an apology to the Chronicle of Higher Education, writing, “I offended some people, and I’m sorry for that. It was heat of the moment. It’s not necessarily that I directed it at anyone.”
This past Thursday, Campbell, 44, echoed his regrets during a conference call, the Detroit Free Press reports, calling the incident a “bonfire comment.”
“I went to Texas A&M but it was a rivalry game for us. And so you’re in front of the student body,” he said. “I was 22 years old and I…made a comment I shouldn’t have made is exactly what it was. And at the time I was, ‘Oh, man, this is, you know’ — I thought it was something exciting.”
Campbell continued: “And I remember I got home and who is now my wife, my fiancée at the time, was like, ‘Oh, my God. What have you done?’ But she was right. It slapped me right in the face after I had talked to her.
“And look, I’ve apologized for it and it was something — I was young and I wish I wouldn’t have said it. If I could go back, I wouldn’t have. But, you know, here we are and it’s out there and all I can do is apologize for it.”
Prior to Campbell’s hiring, Detroit Lions team president Rod Wood told reporters that the team was looking for a couch who would help create “a culture that is open, inclusive, where everybody is pulling together as a team and, in one word, communication is paramount and everybody is doing the right thing for the Detroit Lions.”
The resurfacing of Campbell’s comments was somewhat overshadowed after Detroit Free Press reporter Marlow Alter, who wrote the article, was found to have tweeted the anti-gay slur “fag” several times between 2011 and 2012.
Alter had to issue his own apology after writing about Campbell’s 1998 comment, saying there was “no excuse” for his tweets, some of which also included a racist slur for Black people.
One Million Moms, the project of the anti-LGBTQ American Family Association known for railing against depictions of queer people, has a new target: NASCAR.
The group has launched a petition urging the racing organization to cancel an upcoming advertising campaign for the 2026 season, expected to air in February around the time of the Daytona 500, over its use of the slogan "Hell Yeah!"
Created by the Los Angeles agency 72andSunny, the ad aims to reintroduce fans to NASCAR’s brand and appeal to blue-collar audiences by emphasizing its "rebellious, Americana roots" while "satisfying its core fan base and reaching new audiences," according to Adweek.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom is defending both his record on transgender rights and his evolving stance on transgender athletes competing in women's sports.
Newsom drew backlash from LGBTQ advocates and progressives after saying it was "unfair" for transgender teenagers to compete against cisgender girls in track and field, during a March podcast interview with the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Since then, critics have accused Newsom -- who's widely seen as harboring presidential ambitions -- of throwing the transgender community under the bus for political gain.
Right-wing influencers are throwing tantrums after the National Football League announced that Puerto Rican rapper, singer, and LGBTQ ally Bad Bunny will headline the Super Bowl LX halftime show on February 8 at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
The Sept. 28 announcement, made jointly by the NFL, Apple Music, and Jay-Z's Roc Nation, noted that the show will be co-produced by Emmy-winning Jesse Collins and directed by Hamish Hamilton.
Bad Bunny has won three Grammys and 12 Latin Grammys, and leads this year's Latin Grammy nominations with 12 heading into the Nov. 13 ceremony at the MGM Grand in Nevada. The 31-year-old recently wrapped a record-setting Puerto Rico residency at San Juan's El Choli, drawing more than half a million fans, with the final show breaking livestream viewership records on Prime Video and Twitch, according to CBS News.
These are challenging times for news organizations. And yet it’s crucial we stay active and provide vital resources and information to both our local readers and the world. So won’t you please take a moment and consider supporting Metro Weekly with a membership? For as little as $5 a month, you can help ensure Metro Weekly magazine and MetroWeekly.com remain free, viable resources as we provide the best, most diverse, culturally-resonant LGBTQ coverage in both the D.C. region and around the world. Memberships come with exclusive perks and discounts, your own personal digital delivery of each week’s magazine (and an archive), access to our Member's Lounge when it launches this fall, and exclusive members-only items like Metro Weekly Membership Mugs and Tote Bags! Check out all our membership levels here and please join us today!
Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell has stressed his regret over a recently unearthed homophobic comment.
Earlier this month, the Detroit Free Press reported on a homophobic remark that Campbell, 44, made while attending Texas A&M University in 1998.
Campbell, then 22, told 40,000 people at a pep rally that he was proud to attend a college where “men like women and women like men.”
A few days after the event, Campbell offered an apology to the Chronicle of Higher Education, writing, “I offended some people, and I’m sorry for that. It was heat of the moment. It’s not necessarily that I directed it at anyone.”
This past Thursday, Campbell, 44, echoed his regrets during a conference call, the Detroit Free Press reports, calling the incident a “bonfire comment.”
“I went to Texas A&M but it was a rivalry game for us. And so you’re in front of the student body,” he said. “I was 22 years old and I…made a comment I shouldn’t have made is exactly what it was. And at the time I was, ‘Oh, man, this is, you know’ — I thought it was something exciting.”
Campbell continued: “And I remember I got home and who is now my wife, my fiancée at the time, was like, ‘Oh, my God. What have you done?’ But she was right. It slapped me right in the face after I had talked to her.
“And look, I’ve apologized for it and it was something — I was young and I wish I wouldn’t have said it. If I could go back, I wouldn’t have. But, you know, here we are and it’s out there and all I can do is apologize for it.”
Prior to Campbell’s hiring, Detroit Lions team president Rod Wood told reporters that the team was looking for a couch who would help create “a culture that is open, inclusive, where everybody is pulling together as a team and, in one word, communication is paramount and everybody is doing the right thing for the Detroit Lions.”
The resurfacing of Campbell’s comments was somewhat overshadowed after Detroit Free Press reporter Marlow Alter, who wrote the article, was found to have tweeted the anti-gay slur “fag” several times between 2011 and 2012.
Alter had to issue his own apology after writing about Campbell’s 1998 comment, saying there was “no excuse” for his tweets, some of which also included a racist slur for Black people.
Read More:
Biden names LGBTQ legal advocate to Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights
Trump ally furious that Biden won’t let him discriminate against LGBTQ people
Task Force’s new leader Kierra Johnson on the future of the LGBTQ movement
More from Metro Weekly: