Everyone has their own go-to coffee order. Some are simply unhealthy, while others verge on dangerous.
What do you get at your local coffee shop? Are you a plain black coffee person? Or do you have a list of special additions so long that it almost goes off the ticket?
Getting a “fancy” coffee is more common than one might think. On a Reddit thread, Starbucks baristas shared the most common orders at their stores. Among the most popular choices were the caramel macchiato and the vanilla sweet cream cold brew—a significantly more complicated order than a standard black coffee.
But those orders pale in comparison to Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell. Recently, a video resurfaced of Campbell revealing what he gets from Starbucks every day, and it needs to be heard to be believed.
What Is Detroit Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell’s Starbucks Coffee Order?
At a press conference, Campbell explained his typical order.
“I go to Starbucks to get two Venti of the Pike with two shots in them,” he explains. “So, black eye in both. That’s what I come in with. That’s how I start the day.”
In NBC Sports’ repost of the video, they estimate that Campbell consumes between 780 and 980 milligrams of caffeine in his venti coffees and an additional 440 to 540 milligrams of caffeine with his espresso shots.
In total, that’s between 1,220 and 1,520 milligrams of caffeine. For context, the FDA says that one should not consume more than 400 milligrams of coffee in a day.
Is Campbell Really Drinking That Much Caffeine?
Let’s check NBC Sports’ estimates.
According to Starbucks’ website, a single venti Pike Place Roast cup has between 390 and 490 milligrams of caffeine. A “doppio,” or double espresso shot, has around 150 milligrams of caffeine.
Provided that he’s getting two double shots, that means his “black eye” shots equal 300 mg of caffeine.
In total, this means that Campbell is consuming between 1,080 and 1,280 milligrams of caffeine every day. This is lower than NBC Sports’ estimate, but it’s still a significant amount of caffeine!
How Much Caffeine From Coffee Is Too Much?
While the FDA suggests an upper limit of 400 milligrams of caffeine, this isn’t true for everyone.
If one has normal sensitivity to caffeine, there’s evidence to suggest that it’s safe to consume 6 milligrams of caffeine per kilogram of body weight, though most people should probably stick to an upper limit of 400 milligrams.
As he weighs 120 kilograms, this would put Campbell’s limit at 721 milligrams—high, but still lower than the amount he claims to be consuming.
Although Campbell may feel just fine, there’s not a lot of evidence to support the idea that drinking this much caffeine (10 to 13 milligrams per kilogram of body weight) is safe. One review of available literature found that toxicity symptoms begin manifesting after 1,000 milligrams of caffeine, though the review also noted that data in this field is highly variable.
@nbcsports Dan Campbell. ALWAYS wired. 😂 #nfl #lions #coffee #dancampbell
Commenters Say It’s Too Much
In the comments section, users were divided about consuming such a large quantity of caffeine.
“I was a 19 year old girl drinking venti iced blonde quad americano after an entire pot of coffee in college like it was nothing. 26 year old me is just now realizing how much caffeine that really was because of Dan Campbell,” wrote a user.
“That’s 1 weeks of coffee for any normal human,” added another.
“I would probably have a heart attack,” declared a third.
We’ve reached out to Starbucks via email and the Detroit Lions via website contact form.