Lions coach Dan Campbell gets big promotion ... in new Applebee's commercials

Dan Campbell just got a big promotion.

America, say hello to Applebee's new head shift manager.

After toiling away as an assistant shift manager in last year's popular commercials for Applebee's , the Detroit Lions ' coach and his alter ego got bumped up in the latest round of commercials that debut Monday, Aug. 18.

The Free Press got an exclusive early look at the spots Campbell filmed in July at the Applebee's in Howell . The promotion seems warranted, since this time around Campbell has the added duties of coaching/managing Applebee's two new recruits: Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud and Las Vegas Raiders rookie running back Ashton Jeanty.

Together, they form the ultimate trio that promotes Applebee's own "Ultimate Trio" combination, which lets diners choose three of 10 appetizers and three of 10 sauces for $14.99.

Campbell's role in the new ads is a bit of a departure from the resounding performance he delivered last year as the quintessential coach and earnest motivator.

"Now that I'm on this team, we're going to have a different level of production ," he said in last year's commercial before vowing to dethrone the reigning team member of the month.

"I'm coming for you, Craig," he said through gritted teeth.

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This year's ads focus less on Campbell's character and more on promoting the restaurant's extensive list of appetizers that feature 81,600 possible combinations. In one ad, Campbell holds what looks like a play-call sheet and says: "All right, Jeanty. Time to learn the option play."

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Jeanty tells him he knows how to run the option, a play common in football. He grabs the sheet and starts running as the sheet feeds out endlessly while Campbell reads the list of appetizers such as a wanton taco, waffle fries and then, for some reason, seems surprised when he comically over emphasizes "riblets."

"Hey, coach," a tired Jeanty finally calls out. "How many combinations are there?"

"There's over 80,000!" Campbell yells back.

In the other ad that features Campbell prominently, he reads the app options to a table of customers and — true to his personality — pounds his hand on the table to emphasize the extensive list when he says, "Over 80,000 combinations!"

It's a bit of a puzzling change of direction for Campbell's role in the commercials, which have de-emphasized his comically intense persona in favor of hammering home the appetizer deals.

The ads don't explain Campbell's promotion or what happened to Craig. Did Campbell run him off? Is he hanging out with Jimmy Hoffa under the end zone of the old Meadowlands? Seriously, Craig, are you OK? Craig? Craig?

After the first commercials debuted last fall, one Applebee's executive told me Campbell was a natural and, as a Lions fan, was semiseriously worried he was so good that he might leave coaching for a job in front of cameras. I wrote then that Campbell demonstrated the acting potential to be the NFL's next great coaching pitchman, possibly the next Mike Ditka or John Madden.

Campbell was so good I wanted to ask him if he snuck in some Juilliard workshops during his down time. Did he prefer Stasberg or Stanislavski's teaching methods? Had he done any summer stock? Maybe a little improv? Any dreams to do "Uncle Vanya" on Broadway?

Unfortunately, Campbell declined my interview request through the Lions' media-relations department. So I didn't get to ask him why the tenor of the commercials changed. But mostly I wanted to ask about the root of his impressive acting.

For all the charm and charisma Campbell displays in his news conferences, he's pretty guarded when it comes to non-football subjects.

When he was asked about the commercials in a news conference last year, he looked uncomfortable speaking about the experience, though he graciously thanked the commercial's crew and staff.

"Look," he said, "this was something I've been reluctant — my wife and my daughter are constantly like, 'You have to do it, you have to do it. Do this.' So, they talked me into the Applebee's deal and I said, 'All right, we'll do it.'"

Last season, I asked him about his two adorable dogs, Thelma and Bird, who became stars on his wife Holly's Instagram account during the couple's coffee runs. I practically had to pester a reluctant Campbell to answer a couple questions about his dogs. His dogs .

I've watched and studied Campbell very carefully over nearly five years and come to believe even though he has a big personality, he is fundamentally a private person who prefers to keep his personal life separate from his football life.

That's entirely his right. Being an NFL head coach sucks the life out of the people who have the job and ages them at an alarming rate. Just search for pictures of what Campbell looked like when he was hired in 2021. He appears 10 years younger. And this is a guy who has been very successful and universally adored in Detroit.

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So maybe it's fitting Campbell isn't pitching the whole meal this time around at Applebee's.

Appetizers, after all, only hint at what's to come, with the possibility of a rich and rewarding meal that has yet to be delivered .

Contact Carlos Monarrez at cmonarrez@freepress.com and follow him on X @cmonarrez .

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Lions' Dan Campbell gets promotion in new Applebee's commercials