Life as an NFL Head Coach’s wife with guest Holly Campbell

Summary

Sunday Sports Club with Allison Kuch

Episode: Life as an NFL Head Coach’s Wife (Guest: Holly Campbell)
Date: January 11, 2026
Host: Allison Kuch (A)
Guest: Holly Campbell (B)

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Episode Overview

This episode features a candid and engaging conversation between host Allison Kuch and guest Holly Campbell, wife of Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell. They dive into what it’s truly like being married to an NFL head coach, juggling family life and football, navigating frequent moves, raising resilient kids, building a support network, and the unique joys and challenges that come with being part of an NFL family. Holly shares personal stories, heartfelt insights, and touches of humor, offering listeners an inside look at a world most only see on Sundays.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Becoming Part of the Detroit Family

• Loyalty & Energy in Detroit:

  • Holly describes Detroit as a special place with an incredible organization, praising owner Sheila for bringing “girl power” energy.
    • “You just feel good. But it really does start from the top. Sheila’s an amazing owner.” (B, 01:13)
  • Detroit fans’ unwavering loyalty is highlighted—“win or lose, like the fan base is still there.” (A, 01:28)
  • The citywide excitement spans all major sports teams, not just the Lions. (02:00)

• Homebase & Moving Often:

  • The Campbell family's current stint is their fifth season in Detroit, previously having lived there during Dan’s playing years.
    • “We're getting pretty close to Detroit being the place we've lived the longest in our marriage, which is crazy.” (B, 02:22)
  • NFL life requires frequent moves, which was easier when the kids were younger. Older kids, rooted with friends and school activities, make transitions tougher.
    • “It worked when your kids are little … it would not have been sustainable once he got older.” (B, 03:00)

2. The Coach’s Life Versus the Player’s Life

• Year-round Commitment:

  • Coaches’ schedules are relentless; Holly contrasts players’ potential to “escape” in the off-season with coaches’ constant presence and responsibility.
    • “As a coach, you live here. You don’t get time off.” (B, 03:29)
  • The family often sacrifices holidays and routines, highlighting the all-consuming nature of coaching.

• Personal Toll:

  • Losses linger at home and impact family mood, with Holly careful to gauge Dan’s needs post-game.
    • “He’s not like throwing things or screaming … he’s very contained, but you just kind of know.” (B, 07:19)
  • The importance of boundaries, like trying (but not always succeeding) to create “no football zones” at home.
    • “I enjoy talking about football, for sure … but does everything have to revolve around it?” (B, 09:14, 09:58)

3. Family, Parenting & Resilience

• Raising Kids on the Move:

  • The Campbell kids moved states repeatedly, developing resilience and adaptability.
  • Technology (texting, social media) helps maintain friendships across cities.
    • “Piper’s still really good friends with her New Orleans friends because, online, I mean, texting, social media.” (B, 05:11)
  • Parenting priorities: “The kids always came first. We missed things… because I’m like, they make so many sacrifices.” (B, 45:46)

• Son’s Proposal Story:

  • Holly lovingly recalls nudging her son Cody to finally propose to his girlfriend—on the football field, of course.
    • “I was just like, look, we can do it Thanksgiving. We’re all gonna be there down on the field. It’ll be really good pictures.” (B, 10:40)

4. The NFL Community & Support System

• Built-in Friends:

  • The NFL provides a unique, instant support network through “built-in friends and activities.” (A, 13:09; B, 13:17)
  • It resembles “dating” to find new friends in post-NFL civilian life.
    • “Do we, like, start picking people up at the coffee shop?” (A, 13:33)

• Player Wives vs. Coach Wives:

  • Lives often don’t overlap due to different stages or life situations.
    • “You don’t want to end up being really best friends with someone … your husband can be in charge of absolutely sending them someplace else.” (B, 16:41)
  • “But you always have someone to call … There’s always somebody in the NFL.” (B, 14:59)
  • Not all team cultures are equally supportive; the Lions wives have a uniquely tight-knit group.
    • “They really do.” (B, 15:30)

5. Favorite Moments, Seasons, and Challenges

• Special Seasons:

  • Last year was “pretty special”—defense was decimated, but the team kept surviving, creating a unique kind of excitement.
    • “Every week we went in being like, this is the week the wheels fall off, because this is not sustainable. And, I mean, it just never happened.” (B, 21:57)

• The Reality of the Job:

  • The job never ends: desperate off-seasons, emotional investment, and a blurred line between wins, losses, job performance, and family life.
    • “It’s a job. It’s a job… Does every wife out there sit at home and obsess about their husband's job…?” (B, 47:37)

6. The Mental Load & Lifestyle Differences

• Coach Versus Player Wife:

  • Coaching means longer hours and higher mental (not just physical) toll.
    • “Dan was always home by four or five as a player … as a coach … could be six, could be seven.” (B, 30:19)
  • Family routines are built around football—vacations, birthdays, even cakes!
    • “It was my 50th birthday, and I have to have a football cake.” (B, 09:38)
  • Even the off-season doesn’t mean a full break—“we only have like a month.” (B, 24:58)

• Finding Normalcy:

  • Despite the public nature of their life, Holly is dedicated to keeping things normal for her family and children.
    • “They make so many sacrifices. I’m not gonna let them miss out on anything unless they wanted to.” (B, 45:46)

7. Humor & Relatability

• On Decorating (and being unfinished):
  • “I need like … my husband like, will you just buy a chair? … But I can’t buy the chair till I know what rug I’m getting … and I can’t get the rug until I know the depth of the sofa…" (B, 27:38)
  • “Everybody has their kryptonite, and mine is lamps.” (B, 29:21)
• On 3:30am Coaching Schedules:
  • “His alarm went off at 3:30 … he left the house to go to work at 3:30 in the morning. It’s not even morning.” (B, 33:27)
• On Celebrating Wins:
  • “You celebrate with the team there, and then you go home and you celebrate with your family.” (B, 52:21)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “It really does start from the top. Sheila’s an amazing owner. I mean, girl power, you know?” (B, 01:25)
• “As a coach, you live here … and you don’t get time off.” (B, 03:29)
• “There’s a part of you that just wants to live … just living your life.” (B, 25:34)
• [On youth coaching] “Do you know how many people I let, like, cheat because I didn’t want to, like, deal with the crying?” (B, 41:48)
• “It’s a huge family, and it’s a huge family with fans… When it’s good… When it’s not good, those same things can feel very oppressive.” (B, 47:58)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |-----------|-------------------------------------------| | 01:13 | Becoming part of Detroit family | | 03:00 | Coaches’ lifestyle vs. players | | 05:11 | Benefits of technology in moving kids | | 07:19 | Handling losses at home | | 09:38 | Football permeating family celebrations | | 13:09 | NFL’s built-in support network | | 16:41 | Dynamic with player wives | | 21:57 | Holly’s favorite football seasons | | 24:58 | Differences in coach vs. player offseasons| | 30:19 | Mental and physical tolls of the job | | 33:27 | Dan's intensive coaching schedule | | 40:03 | Coaching own kids vs. sideline support | | 45:46 | Prioritizing children and normalcy | | 47:37 | The emotional weight of an NFL job | | 52:00 | Rapid-fire “this or that” questions |

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Tone, Style, and Takeaway

The conversation is authentic, open, humorous, and often deeply heartfelt. Both Allison and Holly are unfiltered about the ups and downs of NFL family life—laughing at the absurdities, sharing frustrations, and highlighting the immense pride and camaraderie that comes from being part of football culture. Holly’s grounded approach—making time for family, valuing resilience, and clinging to “normalcy” even as the NFL swirls around their lives—makes this a compelling listen for football fans and non-fans alike.

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Connect with Holly

• Instagram: @hollyhcampbell

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This summary skips all ad reads and unrelated banter, focusing purely on the episode's main content and discussions.

Transcript

[A]

The following podcast is a Dear Media Production. What's up, guys? Welcome back to Sunday's Sports Club Podcast, a podcast all about sports told by a woman. And that woman is me. Hi, guys. I'm your host, Allison Kuch. And today we are joined by the Holly Campbell. I'm so excited to sit down with you, not only because I'm a lifelong Lions fan, but also because I'm excited to just pick your brain. But my husband played in the NFL for seven years and so I saw the other side of like coaches and people just in and around the facility and you guys are there longer than, I mean, they're there longer than the players.

[B]

Oh, yeah.

[A]

So I'm excited to talk more with you. You're also a mother of two.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

And retired.

[B]

They're adults. Kind of.

[A]

Right.

[B]

Kind of 26 year old adult. And a kind of 20 year old adult.

[A]

If I'm not mistaken, your son just got engaged on the football field recently.

[B]

Yes. Yes.

[A]

So kind of mother of three almost.

[B]

Yes. Yes, we do. I'm getting a new. I'm getting a new daughter in law.

[A]

That is so exciting. What is it like being part of the Detroit family?

[B]

Oh, it's wonderful. It's great. It's a great organization. We loved it when Dan played here. We love it now. The people are, are great. The excitement, being in the building, you just feel good. But it really does start from the top. Sheila's an amazing owner.

[A]

Absolutely.

[B]

I mean, girl power, you know?

[A]

Yeah, I took.

[B]

That's what it took.

[A]

Right, Exactly. And like, what is the energy like in Detroit? I feel like just being in the fan base. Growing up, I always realized, like, okay, win or lose, like the fan base is still there. Is that still true today?

[B]

Oh, yeah, absolutely. The fans are the best part, but I mean, they're so loyal. And when you're winning, you know, and right now, a lot of the teams are successful. Not just the Lions, but, you know, Pistons and the Tigers. And I think the Red Wings are.

[A]

Doing pretty good so far. Yeah, I think so too. Yeah.

[B]

So we're good. I mean, we're good across the board, but you can even feel the excitement in the city. And it is, I mean, and Detroit deserves it.

[A]

And how long has Detroit been your home?

[B]

Well, this, this stint, this is our fifth season as head coach and then we were here for three seasons when he played.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

So we're getting pretty close to Detroit being the place we've lived the longest.

[A]

In our marriage, which is crazy because that's actually not a long time at all?

[B]

No, no. It's trying to think. I mean, I guess Texas still wins because, you know, we grew up there. But. And he only played for three years there. But. But yeah, I mean, New Orleans was five years.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Miami, I think, was six years.

[A]

I think the. The main difference when I think about coaches or people that work in the facility versus players is that players sometimes don't even live in the city that they play in year round, whereas coaches. It's a year round job.

[B]

We had our. Like, we lived here during the season and then we went back to Texas and so our son. And it works when your kids are little.

[A]

Right.

[B]

And our son was actually in. He did that for two years, I believe, second and third grade, where he did part of the year here and part of the year there. It would not have been sustainable, like, once he got, like older and there's sports teams at school and that kind of stuff. But at that time, it worked out really well.

[A]

Y.

[B]

But as a coach, you. You live here.

[A]

I mean. Yeah. You don't really.

[B]

And you don't get time off. You go from players where you get the whole off season, you get that huge. And I mean. Yes, they're working out and it's not like. And I mean, you probably can relate to this. It's like you want to go on like a little vacation.

[A]

Absolutely. Off season.

[B]

And you want, you want like the seven days. But they are, you know, seven days, five nights, or, you know, whatever. And they want like the long weekend because they can't be away from their workouts.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

And you're like, come on.

[A]

Like, you can't work out on the sand. Like, I feel like that's a better workout anyways. Just makeshift and. So you. You guys lived in New Orleans before Detroit? Yes. How. Because your daughter was in high school. How did she feel about the move to Detroit?

[B]

Oh, I mean, she was upset, you know, and she. It was her sophomore year, like the end of her sophomore year that we moved. And if it had been her junior year, we probably would have. I would have let her finish it out.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And when we moved to New Orleans, my son was a sophomore in high school in Florida.

[A]

They're like, okay.

[B]

And it was the same thing. It's like if you were a junior. It's sad. I mean, and I feel awful for him. And it's one of the downfalls of being in the NFL. But I also do think it makes them resilient. It makes it. They can. It's very easy for them to meet.

[A]

People and she makes friends anywhere. Right.

[B]

And in this day and age. Oh, my gosh. Like, I moved a lot when I was a kid, and it's like, you moved, and, like, you just. You had. You got all new friends. Like, you didn't even talk to the. I mean, maybe. Maybe your mom might let you call them. And you did it, like, two times because long distance was so much money, and then you just never talked to them again. But in this day and age, like, they're still really good friends with, like, Cody's still really good friends with his Florida friends.

[A]

Oh, yeah.

[B]

From sophomore year of high school, and he's 26 now. And Piper's still really good friends with her New Orleans friends. Because online, I mean, texting, social media.

[A]

You get to still, like, stay in contact with all your friends and all the.

[B]

I don't have all the social media, but I know, like, the snapping and.

[A]

The, like, all the snapping.

[B]

Location sharing. I mean, it's like they constantly know where each other's, like, are at.

[A]

And it's moving is one of the hard parts of the NFL. And obviously last night, because we're recording this after the Lions had a dramatic loss. How are you feeling about the season?

[B]

Well, I mean, it doesn't feel as good as last year.

[A]

Right.

[B]

Because last year was kind of a dream season, but at the same time, I mean, we were 15 and 2 and lost in the first round of the playoffs, which just is horrible.

[A]

Yeah. Like, I don't know which one's worse.

[B]

I mean, if we were to be able to get in this year, it probably would feel better because you overcome, like, obstacles and stuff. But, I mean. I mean, you've been part of this life. Sometimes it's not. It's just not your year. No, I mean, I know that we're not. I don't think we're out of it yet, but it's like, it's not under our control anymore. So it's not a good feeling, but. And, you know, my husband would be like, you don't make excuses. You don't make excuses. But, I mean, that's a head coach. Fidelity from the wife who, like, watches him busting his butt and feels so bad for him. There are excuses. There are things that have happened.

[A]

I mean, there's.

[B]

There's some pretty big things that, you know, when you lose an entire position, pretty much, it's, like, hard. Or, you know, when you have a gaping hole in, like, one of your most important units that you didn't know you were gonna have until, like, the Last second, like, well, you weren't anticipating that. And then there's not a whole lot you can do about it. But like, you said, like, we've had chances to win every single game we lost, so he's not gonna.

[A]

Yeah, right.

[B]

But I like to defend him a little bit.

[A]

Does. Does he take the losses at home? I mean, I'm sure a head coach. I mean, you can't leave that at the facility or leave it at the field.

[B]

Yeah, no, when he comes, it's not. It's not great. You know, like, he's. You can tell he's upset down in the dumps. I mean, it's like, it doesn't. Or, you know, it just depends. I mean, he can be angry. Like, you can just feel it. He's not, like, big. It's not like he's throwing things or screaming or yelling or, like, it's not like. It's not like. It's like he's very contained, but you just kind of know.

[A]

Absolutely.

[B]

And then, you know, if he feels like talking, you know how it is. You have to kind of gauge, like, what do they need?

[A]

Oh, yeah. You kind of have to, like, play around a little bit and just.

[B]

Do you wanna talk? And if you wanna talk, then you talk. Do you want me to be the soft place to land? Do you want me to be, like, more, like, tell you to, you know.

[A]

Like, get back on that horse, we'll be okay.

[B]

Or, you know, it's like, you really don't know. But normally, like, a loss like that, like, we'll talk a little bit if he feels like it. And then he sits down at the kitchen table and starts watching film. And then I usually go someplace else.

[A]

Yeah, that's when it's. My husband used to bring in his iPad into bed. And I was like, this is now a no football zone is that we can't have the iPad in bed. Be watching film. Do you have any. No football zones? Or, like, is there anything when it comes to, like, your lifestyle where you're like, can. Can we make this about our family or can we make this about not football right now?

[B]

Right. Well, I mean, I don't know that I have, like, a specific. There is no football allowed in this situation ever. But there have been plenty of times where he's talking and talking and talking, and, like, we're on a date or we're on. You know, we're doing something, and I'm just like, can we talk about anything other than football? Like, anything. Anything at all?

[A]

Yeah, I'm sure Especially during the football season. I mean, because things happen every game with, like, injuries or something's going on. I'm sure there's always something to talk about when it comes to football that I'm sure date nights during football season are a little bit preoccupied.

[B]

Well, and I enjoy talking about football, for sure. I mean, I know you probably understand.

[A]

That as well to a certain extent.

[B]

And that's what, like, he. Because, you know, then they get all. You know, if you hurt their feelings, they get all poopy. Like, fine, I will. We won't ever talk about football again. And I'm like, you know, that's not what I said. That is not what I meant.

[A]

Right? You're like, I just was asking you if you wanted the fish or the steak, but if you want to talk about football right now, we can talk about football.

[B]

And then, like, last year was my favorite, and he got me a cake. It was sweet. I mean, it was a cake. I mean, but it was Honolulu Lou. And I'm like, I have been on this Earth for 50 years, and it is my 50th birthday, and I have to have a football cake. I think it had footballs on it.

[A]

We might have to do a redo this year.

[B]

It was a very good cake. I mean, it tasted delicious, but I'm like, really? Does everything have to revolve around it?

[A]

Are your kids obsessed with football, too?

[B]

My daughter, I wouldn't say she's obsessed. I mean, she's into it. I mean, she understands it, and she watches it. My son, probably, yes.

[A]

Does your daughter enjoy going to games at least? You're like, oh, yeah, yeah.

[B]

No, she definitely enjoys going, and she enjoys watching. And. Yeah.

[A]

So with your son, did he come to you and say, I think I want to propose on the football field? Like, how do you feel about that? Were you involved in that? Oh, no, no, no, no, no.

[B]

He bought the ring right before summer.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

And he was like, I'm doing it over the summer. I'm doing it over summer. Like, if I don't do it over the summer, something's really wrong. And then he didn't do it over the summer because he wasn't coming up with a plan. And then he kept trying to talk my daughter into helping him, and she's like, I'm not gonna plan your proposal, Cody. And so I kept, like, being like, well, what does she want? You have to know. Like, you know, just trying. And so then, you know, September. No, October. No. And then November came, and they drop their dog off with me. On Thursday. So between the morning drop off and the evening pickup, like that, I was like, we're gonna sit down. We're gonna figure something out. And so I was just like, look, we can do it Thanksgiving. We're all gonna be there down on the field. It'll be really good pictures. I go, but would she like that? I mean, it's not gonna be when the people are in the stands, so it's not gonna be like, or you could do it over Christmas. Like, she probably won't be expecting it. Life in a present. And he just chose that. So I guess I kind of helped him. But it was really kind of just like, are you gonna do it or are you not gonna do it?

[A]

Okay, so you're like, I know you've had the ring, so time's a ticking. But it does. I mean, that is such a mom brain thing that you're like, well, there's gonna be photos. Like, it's gonna be lighting. Like, it's a great place, a great background. That's so exciting. Well, you've been married for over 20 years.

[B]

Yes, 27 years this January.

[A]

Wow. And you've been with Dan since he was a player in the NFL?

[B]

College.

[A]

Okay, so. College. Wow. Okay. So what part do you think you've enjoyed the most? Oh, gosh, like, I mean, all of it, obviously, but.

[B]

Yeah, but I mean, there's. Then there's parts you enjoy sometimes, then you don't enjoy other times.

[A]

Yeah, exactly.

[B]

No, it's fun. I mean, I love. I love football, so. I mean, I get to see a lot of football.

[A]

You get to see a lot of football a lot.

[B]

I've seen a lot. A lot of football. What do I enjoy the most about it? I guess feeling like you're like a part of something special. Because everybody has a role. It's not. Yes, there's the players and the coaches, but the wives have a role too. Whether that's taking care of our coaches and our players or whether that's helping the community. But, I mean, there's a lot to it. That's, like, a lot of fun.

[A]

Yeah, I. It's actually probably one of the things that me and my husband miss the most is just the community aspect of the NFL. You always feel like you belong to something bigger. You always have friends in that city.

[B]

I think it's the only job you can get where it's like they pick you up, they drop you somewhere new, and you just kind of have this built in, like.

[A]

Absolutely.

[B]

Support system. Like built in friends, built in activities Built in everything that you can just go to it.

[A]

Like, yes. It's funny, actually. We live in Orange county now, which. There's no NFL teams in Orange County. But it's interesting because we were like, well, how do you make friends? Right?

[B]

It's like, how do you.

[A]

It's like, we've always been a part of something, and now it's like, do we, like, start picking people up at the coffee shop?

[B]

Like, hey, join a gym.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Pick up some new hobby. Join a running club.

[A]

Exactly. So I'm sure that that has been comforting.

[B]

There's, like, dating apps for that, isn't it? For friends? I'm sure there's, like, friends apps.

[A]

It feels creepy to me. Cause I'm like, oh, we have to make it feel. It feels like dating, but we're a married couple.

[B]

But it's kind of like that, though. It is like meeting a new friend. You would have the same kind of criteria that you would have for dating.

[A]

And when it comes to the NFL, it's like, okay, well, the guys are always gonna get along because they always have football in common. And then for the girls, it's like, oh, like, how many moves have you done? Like, right.

[B]

Well, the girls are always gonna get along. And maybe not all of them. Like, I always say this. It's like you might not have. You know, like, we talk about making friends.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

You might not have picked all of them. You know, like, maybe they're not like. And that's not even a bad thing. It's like, you know, you meet somebody out in the real world doing your thing, you click, you go to coffee or you do this, and next thing, you know your best friends, and you live your. The rest of your life with them. And then there's other people that you meet, and it's not. You just don't click.

[A]

So.

[B]

But it doesn't really matter because you're all living in the same space. You all have, like, a ton in common and. Yeah. And, like, some of them you, like, keep, like. And they're your BFFs forever. And then, I mean, you always have a bond with them. And you could probably pick up, but you don't necessarily stay in touch with every single person.

[A]

No.

[B]

But you always have someone to call.

[A]

Absolutely.

[B]

You always have someone to ask a question to if, you know, if you need someone to sit by. There's always. There's always somebody in the NFL.

[A]

It's small in a way that, like, you probably know somebody. I mean, if you've. If you've been in it for a long enough. You know somebody on every team, right?

[B]

Or you know somebody who knows somebody.

[A]

And it just makes it feel less scary. I mean, all of the moves. But it's crazy because I know a lot of the Lions girls and closest friends with some of them and they have such a tight community.

[B]

They really do.

[A]

So it's something I was always jealous of. Cause I'm like, oh, wow, you guys are always doing these fun events and doing cute outings and like the Christmas.

[B]

Party, you know, every team's different.

[A]

Every team is different.

[B]

Like, I've been on teams where it's just like phenomenal how much they have planned and like, the amount of budget they put towards, like, their family stuff. And then I've been on other teams where they just don't do anything. Like, there's just like nothing.

[A]

I've been on both. And I will say that when it comes to the teams that, you know, do more, it's way. I don't know. I feel like the teams that are closer, in my opinion, tend to have better camaraderie amongst the players and then maybe do better. Like.

[B]

No, I think so too.

[A]

How. How involved are you with like, the wives of the players? Like, do you guys do events together?

[B]

If there's things that are planned together, we'll do stuff together. And sometimes things overlap and like, I'll reach out to them every once in a while, you know, especially if someone gets injured or that kind of stuff. But it's not like super. You know what I mean? There's like a level of like, you definitely keep it. First of all, we're in different life spaces.

[A]

Definitely.

[B]

And second of all, you don't want to end up being like, best friends with someone when they, you know, when your husband can be in charge. In charge of absolutely sending them someplace else.

[A]

Yeah, exactly.

[B]

And then you can't say anything. And you know, and it's like, I don't. I. Even for me, if you have somebody who you're just really, really close to and this life changing thing is gonna happen and they don't. They didn't tell me. I think I'd probably be pretty hurt.

[A]

Oh, yeah.

[B]

But you literally can't tell them. Like, it's not. It's like it's against legal rules.

[A]

Right.

[B]

I don't know if I'd get. But my husband probably certainly would. But you know what I mean? It's like you have to be a little bit careful. It's not that I sit around, like walking around going, oh, no, no, we can't be friends.

[A]

Right.

[B]

But. But I would say that we don't, like, mingle. Like, we're not, like, hanging out at each other's houses.

[A]

Right, Exactly.

[B]

But if we're at the same thing, they're all wonderful and really sweet. Yeah.

[A]

I do feel like there is, like, a.

[B]

And gorgeous. I feel like we have the prettiest ones ever.

[A]

I'm like, I mean, Kristin alone, I'm like, oh, yeah.

[B]

No, like, it starts there. Everything after, it's just.

[A]

I know. I'm like, guys are making Detroit a little bit more time.

[B]

I see the. The players wives, and they're like, pack.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I'm just like, that is the prettiest group of women I've ever seen.

[A]

No, literally, I'm like, okay, guys, we get it. We get it. 2026 New Year, New me, you guys, I'm done wasting money on stuff in my closet that I'm only going to wear once or twice. It's like, oh, I need a handbag for this one dress that I have for this one wedding, and I'm never going to pull out the handbag ever again. Saving the new year doesn't mean you have to sacrifice designer style. Vivrel lets you borrow luxury handbags and accessories, so you get variety without the upfront cost. And with our offer, you can access her closet. If you don't know about Vivrel yet, it's a members only club where you can borrow designer handbags, jewelry, watches, even diamonds. So think like a rotating dream closet that you don't have to commit to. And the best part, and kind of what hooked me, is that there's no return dates. So you can keep a piece as long as you want or swap monthly if you're ready for something new. And if you fall in love with something, you can also buy it less than anywhere else. Their classique tier is $139 per month, and it's by far the most popular. Honestly. Makes sense because, like, the value get is kind of wild. And they're constantly refreshing inventory, like, constantly. So they're adding millions of dollars of new pieces every week. So it always feels like you're walking into a new designer boutique. The closet's insane. Think like, Prada, Fendi, Saint Laurent, Dior, all the brands that I tend to drill over, and you can just pick what you want, and then it shows up. Kind of feels very surreal. Use our referral code SSC to get 50 off your first 3 months of membership. Go to www.vivrel.com and apply for a membership today using code SSC to get 50 off YOUR first 3 months of membership. The code will also allow you to skip the VREL waitlist. So that's V-I V-R-E-L-L-E.com and use code SSC for 50 off your first three months of membership. Sometimes I just do not have the brain capacity for proper meal planning. Okay, I want to eat healthy. I want to eat complete meals and not just like snacking throughout the day. But I don't really have the time to cook and I'm just like overall feeling stressed about it. Plus it's like I have all these health goals that I really want to stay on top of this year. And all of this has been changed thanks to Hungry Root. It is the easiest way to eat healthy. So hungryroot basically works like a personal nutrition coach and a shopper all in one. By planning, recommending and shopping everything for you, they take care of the weekly meal planning, recommending healthy recipes tailored to your taste, nutrition preferences and health goals. And Hungry Root makes it simple to eat healthier without overthinking it. Whether you're trying to eat cleaner, go high protein, cut down on inflammation, or just get meals that fit your specific preferences or restrictions, Hunger Root does it all for you. Unlike other food delivery services, Hungaroo has over 50,000 recipes to choose from each week. So there's something for every taste and nutrition preference. And the best part is that they only source high quality meat and seafood with no quality hormones or antibiotics. They make it extremely easy to actually stick to your New Year's goal of eating healthier or trying to make more meals at home. My favorite part about Hungaroo is not only can I pick out meals, but I can also pick out snacks as well. And I feel like the health goal that I'm going for is like not just snacking throughout the day, but it's nice that they also do offer snacks. So take advantage of this exclusive offer for a limited time, you can get 50% off your first box plus get a free item in every box for life. Go to hungaroo.com sundae and use code Sunday that's hungaroo.com Sunday code Sunday to get 40% off your first box and a free item of your choice for life. Is there a football season that you can pinpoint that has been your favorite? Whether he was playing or coaching.

[B]

They all run together. I think last year was pretty special just because even though our record looked like we just couldn't do Anything wrong? Our entire defense was decimated. So every week we went in being like, this is a week. This is a week the wheels fall off, because this is not sustainable. And, I mean, it just never happened. And so there was something really exciting about that. But, you know, I also really, really, like, as a head coach, I really liked the first couple years because we didn't have a ton of talent. We had a lot of dead cap on the books, so we had a lot of money going out, and there was not anybody playing for those dollars.

[A]

This is great.

[B]

And, you know, and it's like. But every single person on the team, like, tried so hard and worked so hard, and it's like you could feel it. Even if the wins weren't there, you could feel like the effort was there. And there, you know, it was stress. Obviously, it's stressful before you won your first game, and it's just like, oh, this is not going well. But then there was also something so positive about it. Like, you felt like it was gonna be turning around, and so that felt pretty. And I don't know, there's something like, now that we've had some successful seasons, it feels better to have your back against the wall than it does to be, like, running out in front and, like, trying to not get caught.

[A]

Yeah, absolutely. When it comes to your husband, is he a. When. How is husband Dan versus husband or versus head coach Dan?

[B]

Oh, gosh. Husband Dan isn't very present.

[A]

That's awesome. You're like, husband Dan is head coach Dan.

[B]

I'd love to meet him again one day. Maybe we'll spend some time together in our 80s. No, he's great. You know, he's like, kind of. I don't know if you've heard people describe him as. He's kind of the same. Like, you know, he's never too high and never too low. I mean, not that he doesn't get mad. He does, but he's the kind that, like, if he gets mad, it's like a big. It's like a flash. It, like, burns really hot, and then it's over. Yeah, it's like. Which I wish I could be like that because.

[A]

No, I burn for a long time.

[B]

I'm a slow burn, and, like, I just seethe for a while and I hide it. And then if you can finally get me mad, like, if it finally boils over, well, now I'm just mad, and I'm going to be mad. Like, you're good. I mean, it might be a day.

[A]

You're like, it Might be two days.

[B]

It just depends on what I'm mad about. Absolutely. And it also depends on how you react to my madness. But anyway, so he's pretty. I mean, he's pretty good. He's. I mean, he's funny, jokes around.

[A]

Are you guys able to take an off season? Like, is there a trip you always look forward to? Because I know for, like, for the players, it's kind of like, okay, season's over, you immediately leave.

[B]

Right.

[A]

Head coaches might be quite a bit different, but is there ever, like, a time of the year where you're like, okay, I know this is the time of year to take our vacation. We're going as a family. We're gonna enjoy it. I'm sip pina colada. It's gonna be relaxing.

[B]

You know what? Not yet. Now we are really starting to talk about really starting to travel, like, now that our kids are. I mean, it's hard. And coaching, it's really hard because you only. Well, you go from a player who you have, like, months in the off season to where. So you can go see family, you can take a family vacation, you can take a couple's vacation. You take little mini weekend trips. You can just live, like, eat dinners together, watch tv. And then you go to coaching where you only have, like, a month. So it's like you cannot fit all those things in there.

[A]

And you're almost like, I kind of just want to, like, not do anything. Right?

[B]

Well, and there's sometimes you don't because there's a part of you that just wants to live. Like, you just want to live in your house with your family and not be packing a bag and falling out.

[A]

Can we go to the grocery store together? Right. Just running errands.

[B]

Just, like, wake up. Nothing on the agenda. Just living your life. So it's hard. Cause we don't get to do all that. But we are talking about. Cause that was kind of like my thing. Like, I always wanted to travel, and he never wanted to be away for that long. So we would do little things. Like, we would do, like, a little tropical thing here or go to this or go to that. And then our kids started playing club sports. So then we never had vacation.

[A]

Well, the off seasons probably don't align, right?

[B]

It did feel like Dan was always off during nationals for volleyball, and those were normally in Orlando. So it did feel like we went to Disney a lot.

[A]

Okay, that's right.

[B]

But only because we were already there for volleyball. But that kind of counted as a vacation, right? Like, we just tacked A couple days onto the end of the tournament and called it a vacation.

[A]

And, you know, four scenes in Orlando. Like, this is relaxing.

[B]

Ish.

[A]

Yeah. Well, hopefully you get your off season trip. Where. Where would you want to go?

[B]

Well, we are talking about going to Italy this year because neither one of us have been yet. So, like, we have our list of places that we haven't been yet. And like, there's all these, you know, but Italy's kind of near the top, so we. We have not done that. But I haven't started planning it either because we also moved last year. And I am still not completely done with getting the house together. I'm slow and I don't want to make a mistake. And I don't. I've never hired. I did see that you were an interior designer. I've never hired anybody. Cause I enjoy doing it now. Am I professional? No. There's plenty. I don't know. I make mistakes all the time. But I also don't want to be bulldozed.

[A]

No. Yeah. Into decisions. Oh, no. It's funny because it's almost harder for me to design my own house because if somebody gives me a style they like, I'm like, okay, I can do that. I can help you guide decisions. When it comes to my house, I'm like, oh, the decisions, I'm like, they're endless. So I just look at my house and I'm like.

[B]

Or you're like, I need like. And my husband like, will you just buy a chair? Just buy a chair? And I'm like, I can buy a chair, but I can't buy the chair till I know what rug I'm getting. And I can't get the rug until I know the depth of the sofa.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And I can't get the sofa.

[A]

You're like, no, no, no. It's a domino effect. So I should probably.

[B]

He would probably be thrilled if I hired someone and I just decorated it from top to bottom. But I'm always like that. It just feels like you're in a hotel.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And he's like, and what's wrong with that?

[A]

He's like, I said in those all the time. I'm like, oh, yeah, you definitely do.

[B]

But anyway, we just moved and then there is a part we do need to do some, like, finish out part of the basement. So then there's a part of me that's like, maybe I shouldn't. Maybe we should just get the house done. Like start. Start calling someone, plan the renovation, and maybe we can still go somewhere while they're doing the renovation because you're not gonna wanna be there anyway. But, I mean, but when you start doing. I just don't wanna do it. I've renovated. You know, in New Orleans, we bought a house. We spent over a year renovating it, and Dan got the job here. We. To live in it. We literally were done. It was right about the time to start moving furniture into it, where he got the job. So we literally just put it on the market. So when we ended up coming here, I'm like, I don't want to renovate anything. I don't want to.

[A]

You just. You're like, let's just buy the house that I align with the most, and then we'll see. Right? Right. Well, if it makes you feel better, we've been living in our house for. We renovated the whole thing. But when it comes to the finishing touches of, like, frames or rugs, I'm like, oh, no, I think I'll probably finish this. Then a week later, we'll move. So never gets done.

[B]

No, that's what. By the time I actually get it done, it's time to leave.

[A]

It's okay. You're like, this is like, my. It's therapeutic in a way. Just to be, like, an hour scrolling on rugs. It's okay.

[B]

I enjoy it. Except for the parts that I'm not good at. Like, there's so many parts that I'm good at. And then I always, like, everybody has their kryptonite, and mine is lamps.

[A]

Oh, lamps.

[B]

I did just buy two lamps for the living room, and they work. I'm excited. I like them. But do you know how many lamps? And lamps are expensive?

[A]

Oh, lamps are way more expensive than they should be.

[B]

You know how many times I've bought lamps and you set them up and you're like, no, no.

[A]

It's like, how do you like the lamps? And he's like, oh, I didn't even know those were real.

[B]

I don't know why it's such a pet peeve of mine. Like, for some reason, it's kind of like seeing a word that you know is spelled right, but it doesn't look right. Like, all lamps look like that to me. Like, it seems like such an easy thing.

[A]

Which lighting is actually a very important feature of a house, so. Right.

[B]

No, I agree. I agree. I'm just saying that that's one of my problems, that it's like, so the room is never completely finished because I haven't quite found the right layup yet.

[A]

When it comes to being the wife of a player to the wife of a head coach. What are some of, like, the main differences?

[B]

Well, the hours, obviously, because, you know, even as a player, they're gone. I mean, during the day, but they're home for dinner.

[A]

Right.

[B]

You know, they might leave early, depending on. But I mean, Dan was always home by four or five as a player, and then as a coach in the off season, he's home for dinner. But it could be six, it could be seven. Right. And it's like. But he goes in more like at 7 or 8 or 9. And obviously it's different than, you know, combine and, you know, all that kind of stuff. So those hours start getting.

[A]

He has to attend. I mean, those things. I mean.

[B]

Well, and then as soon as the season's over, then you're evaluating, and then you're having to see, like, who. Like, who. Like, you're evaluating the roster because, like, who are you going to keep? What positions do you need to. So it's like it never really ends.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And then I would say the difference, like, with a player, it's like you're very aware of the toll it takes on them physically. Like, you see how they kind of have to walk it off in the morning or. And the longer they're. And your husband was in for a long time, too, so, like, year one and two, it's like, okay, yeah. But then by, like you said, seven. Dan played for 11, I believe, but his 11th one, he was on IR, so it didn't count those last few years. I mean, it's like he didn't fully recover from a game until like, the day before, like, the next game. So, I mean, so that was. And then as a coach, you don't necessarily see that physical toll, but you see the mental toll because they're exhausted and like, they can't. I mean, and there's times that Dan, he's got a bed, like, in a. Well, say it's like a. It's. It's a closet off of his office. And there's like a twin mattress in there.

[A]

Not a twin mattress.

[B]

And it's like, kind of shoved in the back. It's like a little. I mean, it's very depressing, but it's dark and it's like very Harry Potter.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

But there's nights he'll spend the night. Because, I mean, it just. First of all, I'm like, I don't want. You get in an accident.

[A]

Oh, yeah.

[B]

I mean, he drives like a big, huge F250. So, I mean, I think he'd be fine no matter what. But like whatever he hit wouldn't be fine.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

So like just driving home and then I'm also like, you know, that's a good 40 minutes. That's back and forth. That's like over an hour that like you could just save by staying there. And he doesn't like to stay there. But like there are some weeks that he'll stay two or three nights, but then there's other weeks he doesn't stay there at all. It just kind of depends on how it's going. Like this morning, well, he told me last night when he went to bed, he's like, I have to get up early. Like, you know, short week. I play on Thursday, have to get up early. And then.

[A]

Hated the short weeks. Oh God.

[B]

It's like, what are they doing?

[A]

I know.

[B]

There's that as well. At least you'll get the limits. It's so dangerous. Not that it's probably smart for me to be talking about stuff like that, but it is dangerous.

[A]

Yes. It's a quick turnaround from a Sunday evening straight to Thursday. Yep.

[B]

Like there's just. There's just not enough time.

[A]

No.

[B]

There's not enough time to get there's. And there's not enough time to recover.

[A]

No.

[B]

And it's. It's awful for a guy.

[A]

So he warned you though, does he?

[B]

No, he did. Well, he said I'm gonna be going. He goes to go in early tomorrow.

[A]

Cause short week.

[B]

And I'm like, okay, no problem. And then his alarm went off at 3:30.

[A]

Oh no.

[B]

And he got up and he left at 3:30. Not like rolled over, hit snooze. Not like made coffee, got dressed, took a shower. He got out of bed. And then I heard the garage chime. And then I saw the lights of his truck go like past the window. And I'm just like, he literally left the house to go to work at 3:30 in the morning. It's not even morning.

[A]

You're like, I hope he stops for coffee in the way. Also those times that I remember laying in bed and I was like, I'm so happy. That's not me. I'm like, oh, wow, poor him. And then I roll over and I'm like, wow, I'm really comfortable.

[B]

Doesn't it also make you feel pretty inadequate or bad about yourself? Because I'm like, even if I was genetically blessed with an athletic body like that, or like that kind of thing, I don't have that kind of work ethic. There could be days That I would not want to do it. And I'd be like, I'm not doing it because I don't want to.

[A]

Well, I understand how much I complain during pregnancy. So I'm like, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. So I can only imagine getting up and choosing to do that and knowing, like, what I'm getting myself into. It's a lot.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

That's hilarious. Oh, my God. 3:00am which, I mean, I know there's.

[B]

Probably some players and coaches who don't. Who are like me, but they're the ones that aren't probably very successful.

[A]

Exactly. You're like, well, he got this way for a reason. It's actually interesting. My husband's now on Good Morning Football, and he has to wake up at 3am and I'm like, wow. Like, you're still putting in this work even after football. Like, this is crazy.

[B]

I really like what you do.

[A]

I know. Like, you must really like football to have a job and then continue.

[B]

Well, you know what, though? It's like, that's all they know. It's what they love.

[A]

Exactly.

[B]

And so that's kind of what happened to Dan. He always said he was never gonna coach. Yeah, he said, never gonna coach, never gonna coach.

[A]

Interesting.

[B]

Well, he said he. He saw him, the hours. Like, he's like, I'd be going. He's like, I'd be walking in at 6, because I was always. He was always one of the first people there. And the coaches would still be there.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Like, bedhead and every. And he was just like, I'm never gonna do that. And then we bought our forever house in Texas. And I remember before we signed, I was like, are you sure you're not gonna coach? Because if you are, this would be a really stupid thing for us to do. And he's like, I'm not gonna coach. And then. But he wasn't retired then yet, anyway. And so then when he had to retire, he was home. And I would say it was a couple months. And he just, you know, it was like, he doesn't take it out on anybody, but you could just tell, like, his mojo was just gone. And I told him, I'm like, you lost your mojo and you need to go find it. And then that's whenever he volunteered. One of his cousins was a coach for an Episcopal school in Dallas, So he just volunteered and did their own line. And then he went and volunteered at A and M for spring ball. And then he went and volunteered in Miami for OTAs. And then he got offered a job at A And M and in Miami. And then he took that and that was all like. So he retired that season and then. So when he was.

[A]

But didn't really retire.

[B]

So it was just two months of the off season.

[A]

Yep.

[B]

So by the next football season, he was coaching for Miami. So we never even. And then, like, I was like, well, I thought we'd at least get like a year of doing nothing. You know, it's like. And then, like, evaluating what it is you wanted to do. I thought we would take like a break. No, there was no break. And it's my fault because I told him to go find his mojo. And so he did.

[A]

And so he found it back in football. Oh, my gosh. My husband always says that's what he said.

[B]

He goes, well, what do I love? What do I know? And he goes, it's only football. And so if he wasn't coaching, he'd probably be doing something like what your husband's doing, because, you know, that's still talking. It's still part of the game. It's still studying the game.

[A]

But it is interesting. My husband's famous words. He said, I would never be a coach, but maybe a month or two ago, he was like, maybe I'll. Maybe I'll coach for like a high school around here. And I'm like, I feel like that's. That's the entry to seeing the ball roll and roll and roll.

[B]

And I mean, look, I mean, high school, I mean, all coaching is no joke.

[A]

Oh, absolutely.

[B]

But talk to a high school coach's wife.

[A]

Oh, yeah.

[B]

It's every bit as strenuous in Texas.

[A]

It's almost more intense than college.

[B]

Well, and a lot of them also teach and then on or they coach multiple sports. So it's not even just football season. It's like year round.

[A]

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[A]

Right?

[B]

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[A]

If your husband wasn't the head coach for the Lions, do you think he would have been the coach for, like, your son's football team, or do you think he is like a sideline parent?

[B]

No, I think he would have done it if he had had the, if he'd had the ability to do it, I think he would have enjoyed it.

[A]

My husband says that, like, I feel.

[B]

Like he might, I don't know, like, I'm trying to think if he would have been, I feel like he would have been harder on Cody than everybody else. Like, to show, like to not show special treatment. And then I feel like that probably would have been hard on Cody. So maybe it's a good thing.

[A]

Exactly. I always joke that, like, my husband says he would rather be a sideline parent. He doesn't want to be the coach. But I'm like, you're going to sideline coach then, and then you're going to piss off the actual coach. So maybe we should just start there.

[B]

Well, everybody gets roped into coaching. Like I coached one year. I did not. I played soccer when I was a little kid.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Like, not, like, not when I was old enough to remember when everybody played soccer, you know, when it was the group.

[A]

Oh, yeah, I played soccer and I'm, I'm sure it was horrible.

[B]

I was like, I mean, I played a lot of sports growing up all kids, you know, most kids do, but I was. I was in dance. So by the time I got older, I was strictly just taking dance classes and being on the dance team.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So like, I am not qualified to coach any sport.

[A]

You're like that.

[B]

But I mean, it's like little kids, I mean, they weren't even in kindergarten yet, so they needed a coach. And so like for. And I was just like, well, this is ridiculous. They're not going to learn anything. But somehow I got roped into being serial. I still feel really sorry for all those. It was co ed so the little girls and little boys. Cause I had no idea what I was doing. I tried though. I got like soccer for Dummies and like, you know, you do everything you like.

[A]

I mean, I have no idea the rules.

[B]

I have concept of it, but I don't know the rules of it. Same thing. Cody was in competitive swimming and they needed. Oh my gosh, like an official.

[A]

Oh, yes.

[B]

And like, you had to get certified. Like, I went through like big training to be certified as an official, only to realize that, like, I get to go stand out there and DQ like 5 year olds.

[A]

Like, I feel really bad.

[B]

Do you know how many people I let, like, cheat because I didn't want to, like, deal with the crying, like.

[A]

Or the parent comes up to you. No, they do.

[B]

They yell at you. They yell at you. And I'm just like, I didn't sign up for this. Like, my kid's just swimming. I really just wanted to watch. Y' all made me do this.

[A]

I know. Oh my gosh. I wonder at some point though. I'm sure it's hilarious. Like, even your husband, I'm sure, gets to a point where it's like, oh, wow, like, I'm the head coach. Like, we gotta do this, we gotta do this the right way. But I mean, when you look at these kids, you're like, oh, wow. Like I'm gonna disqualify you. Like, it's hard, I'm sure. But I mean, when they're older, they don't really have the parents that come and defend them.

[B]

No. And I mean, I'm not like a pushover. Like, if I was like, well, first of all, I don't think they would have put me as an official at like a meet that mattered.

[A]

Oh, yeah. They're like, no, no, no.

[B]

We're looking for standing or anything like that. But I mean, like, I would be very fair with people who knew what they were doing. But like, with brand new kids, it's like, don't ask me to be the person that crushes their swimming dreams.

[A]

Like, I'm just a volunteer.

[B]

Like, when I DQ them five times and one me, like, and then they go home and they never want to swim again. Don't put that on me.

[A]

Like, this child could have maybe gone to the Olympics and I just disqualified them. Like, I'm sorry. So when your husband got the head coaching job, what was going through your mind? Like, excitement, nerves. I mean, he had head coached before.

[B]

Oh, yeah.

[A]

But how was it just entering a new. A new place.

[B]

Oh, I was so proud of him. Like, I was so proud because I know when he was the interim head coach, well, that was, like, awful. Like, I mean, not awful, but it was, like, so stressful.

[A]

Oh, I'm sure.

[B]

Because it was not even on the.

[A]

Radar, you know, under different circumstances.

[B]

Right. He never even. And I'm not saying that he didn't want to be a head coach, but he'd only put. But, you know, he was a tight end coach, and he'd only been coaching for like, five years or so. So, I mean, it wasn't even something that was on our radar. And then it's like, you know, and then it's like your friends who get fired, and then it's like, now you're in, you know, and it's so. I remember that was. I was. I was so unsteady. I was so, like, you know, you just felt like you were like. It was like, you know, it's like being in shock, but knowing you're in shock, like feeling yourself in shock.

[A]

What is dissociated right now?

[B]

And so then when he got this job, because it had been a while and he had five interviews over the years, and so he had gotten discouraged, and so I was just happy it was him and it was his first choice. This is where he wanted to always go, just because he had played here. And he just knew how great it could be. So I was so excited for him, but I was so nervous. It's a lot. And I mean, I've never been one of those people that aspires to be famous or aspires to, you know, I mean, I'm not a flower. Like, I love clothes, so, like, I buy the clothes. I like people to compliment my clothes. But, like, you know, it's more like, nice outfit.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

And then moving on. Not like, not like, oh, and what else are you doing in your life? Tell me every single little thing that's like, no, no, no. And I mean, now I will say this I'm not. None of it. It's never bothered me. Like, the fans are amazing, but it is weird. Like, it's like I can't wrap my brain around, like, why. Why does anybody even care?

[A]

Yes. No. It is a very. It's so interesting. I think even now, football has changed so much that now the players are more invested in, like, oh, what are they doing off the field? Like, what does their home life look like?

[B]

You can see more.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Whereas before you couldn't.

[A]

Especially with all these team social medias, which. The Lions has a great social media.

[B]

Yeah. They really do a good job.

[A]

They like to storytell. And so you're like, oh, wow, these people know who I am. These people are interested. These people want to know more than just where my sweater is from. Right. And this feel little, like, unreal in a way.

[B]

Right.

[A]

When it came to, like. Because I would say, like, raising your children still remains true when they're in high school. Did you ever look at their childhood and you're like, oh, wow, this is a unique childhood.

[B]

Yes. But I will say this. Like, the kids always came first. Like, that I made that the biggest primary. So we missed things. Like, we missed football games. Like, we. Because I'm like, they make so many sacrifices. I'm not gonna let them miss out on anything unless they wanted to. It's completely up to them. But I know when Piper made her first travel volleyball team, like, her first tournament, it was local, so it was at the convention center, which is right next to the Superdome. But it was when we were playing in the NFC Championship game. Wow. And we did her tournament, and then we went over afterwards, straight over. We missed half of it, and people thought we were insane. And I was just like, she was so excited to make this team, and this is her first meet. And it's like, it's. You know, it's serious.

[A]

It is.

[B]

They probably would have been okay with it, but I didn't want to set that kind of precedent. And she cared more about her volleyball game than she did about the NFC championship games. So, I mean. And there's plenty of things that I've missed that I didn't want to miss.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

But I just wanted my kids to have as normal. I just wanted someone to always be there and for them to never have to miss out on anything. Totally.

[A]

It's very understandable because it's easy to get very wrapped up in the NFL, and it's easy to make excuse and be like, oh, well, we have a game today. But then you're like, wait, this is still our life. This is our normal life. So let's try and make it as normal as possible.

[B]

So you're emotionally invested. So it does kind of the way a season's going is kind of in your orbit. But I do try to, you know, talk myself. I mean, I've always been like, it's a job. It's a job.

[A]

It's like, it's a job.

[B]

Does every wife out there sit at home and obsess about their husband's job and, like, how successful.

[A]

It's a very unique job.

[B]

How successful they were that week, or, like, I mean, I get it.

[A]

You can't really watch your husband's job on TV in most cases. Right. So it's. I mean, it's kind of all encapsulating. He brings it home. He's right.

[B]

You live it.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

It's not just like, he goes to work and he comes home, and if he feels like decompressing and telling you about his day, he does. If not, you don't really care. Cause, you know, it's, like, not stuff you care about. But, yeah, it's a living, breathing. It's just like. It's just part of it. And it's like a huge. But it is a huge family, and it's a huge family with fans, and everybody's invested in all aspects of it. And there's very wonderful things about that. When it's good, when it's not good, those same things tend to feel very.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Very oppressive.

[A]

A little scary, if I do say so. Yeah. And, I mean, it's the only job. You can really tell how his job went before he comes home. I mean, you're watching the games. You're like, oh, okay, well, that's a loss. Okay, I understand that now. Perfect. Like, I know what to expect. Is there anything you're looking forward to in the future, next few months that doesn't have anything to do with football?

[B]

What is going on in the next few months? It doesn't have anything to do with football.

[A]

Hopefully your birthday cake. Yes.

[B]

Hopefully it won't be blue this year.

[A]

Yep.

[B]

Favorite color's green. Maybe he'll get me a green cape this year. Gosh. Like. Well, I mean, I always kind of look forward to where there's not, like, games on the schedule. Like, where you just. Now you just have, like, normal weeks.

[A]

Right.

[B]

Like, there's not, like. But then you miss it, too. And then depending on how the season ends, sometimes you. Like, sometimes you're just. You need the break you're ready for the break, you need to like. And then other times you're ready to get started right away. Like last season it was kind of like that. I'm like, can we just start?

[A]

Yeah, just start.

[B]

Like, do we really have to wait through the whole. I don't want to wait for the whole off season. But I don't know, I think that, I mean, I'll look forward to just being able to. I look forward to just being able to do whatever we want to do without having to like schedule it like to the second. Because a lot of times you do have to do that. There's plenty of times that like we, our date nights are going to breakfast because that's the only time that you can fit something in.

[A]

Date breakfast.

[B]

Yes. I mean you take them where you can get them.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Or date night is, you know, ordering pizza and watching something on television just cause he doesn't have the, you know, the battery to be out and on. And I get it. Cause I'm like that too sometimes. Or he'll be like, you wanna just go get a burger? And I, you know, it's kinda like, yeah, I do. But I wanna do it the way we used to do it. I wanna do it with no makeup on, with a baseball cap and my hair, you know, like sweats that don't match. You just roll, you know, roll up, you eat, you leave. And it's like. And not that I can't do that. I mean I can, but people are watching.

[A]

Yeah, people are watching this. You're like, maybe we should sit in the car and eat these burgers.

[B]

And that's what I always say. Once I get finished looking at him, they're looking at me.

[A]

Yeah. You're like, no. Well, it's been so fun talking with you. Before we end, I want to do some rapid fire questions like this or that. Home games or away games?

[B]

To go to home games. I love a sofa game though.

[A]

Oh, I do. I love a sofa game. Game day fit. Are you wearing subtle lion's gear or loud Honolulu Blue?

[B]

Both. But I'll say loud just cause I do create outfits for home games. For away games. I tend to, I try to like, I try to blend in a little bit more.

[A]

Coaching your kids team or cheering from the sidelines?

[B]

Well, I would rather cheer from the sidelines because I've actually coached and I didn't enjoy it.

[A]

Yeah, exactly. You're like, count me out of that.

[B]

I just want to be snack mom.

[A]

Let me bring the.

[B]

I'll even cut the freaking oranges. That's the worst job ever. But I will even do the orange if you don't let me coach.

[A]

If you were on the coaching staff, would you be an offensive coordinator or defensive coordinator?

[B]

Offensive. That's what I probably know more about because that's what I've been watching.

[A]

And then last but not least, celebrating a win with a team or celebrating alone with the family?

[B]

Both.

[A]

I feel like it depends on the game.

[B]

I feel like you do celebrate with the team there and then you go home and you celebrate with your family.

[A]

Exactly. I love that. Then thank you so much for coming on.

[B]

Thank you for having me.

[A]

Do you have any social media where the people can find you?

[B]

Oh, I'm Holly Hcampbell on Instagram. And that's it.

[A]

Perfect.

[B]

Nothing else.

[A]

Thank you so much for coming on and I hope you guys enjoyed and look forward to seeing you in our next episode every Sunday.

[B]

Please note that this episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to in this episode.