Dan Campbell is one of those head coaches who will believe in his team no matter what, but after a crushing divisional round loss to the Washington Commanders at home as a No. 1 seed, even people the most optimistic can feel deflated.
But not Campbell, who reiterated his belief that the Detroit Lions’ championship window remains wide open.
“Yes, I do,” Campbell said when asked that question about the championship window, via ESPN. “We’re talking about that core. That core group is still intact, and we’ve signed some of them, some of them have signed contracts, and that will continue. But yeah, we absolutely are.”
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Lions head coach Dan Campbell speaks to the media after the game against the Green Bay Packers on Dec. 5, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)
“I think the most important thing is you want to know that you have your culture, you have your identity and you have players that fit that, and we have that.”
A perfect example is star wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, who signed a long-term contract with the Lions last offseason, texted Campbell at 4 a.m. after the 45-31 loss to the Commanders Saturday evening.
The loss was eating away at him, but it showed Campbell he had hungry players in the building, especially leaders like St. Brown.
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“I know the good guys. They’re our guys for a reason, and that’s what will always give me hope and let me know that we’re only going to get better.
“We’re going to come back stronger, we’re going to learn from this, and it’s just fuel to the fire, that’s what it is.”
Campbell said all of this before reports surfaced that his offensive coordinator, Ben Johnson, had been chosen by an NFC North rival to become their next head coach. The Chicago Bears are bringing in Johnson to help turn things around, and he obviously knows everything about the organization after the last three seasons in his role in Detroit.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell speaks to the media after the divisional playoff game against the Washington Commanders, Jan. 19, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Mike Mulholland)
But that shouldn’t come as a shock to Campbell, who should also prepare for the loss of defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn. Glenn will participate in his second interview with the New York Jets on Tuesday to potentially fill the vacant head coaching position as well.
Campbell told ESPN he has to have a next-man-up mentality if he has to lose his coordinators, but winning now doesn’t change.
“We’re not going to allow that to happen,” Campbell said of a possible change in mindset. “Does it hurt to lose these guys? Absolutely. They’re part of what we’ve been here for. They’ve been here four years, and they’re one of the main reasons we were able to get where we were.”
Simply put, the Lions weren’t supposed to be thinking ahead, already losing their innovative offensive coordinator and gearing up for the offseason. With their ability to put up points on the scoreboard, they almost seemed destined to represent the NFC in Super Bowl LIX.
Dan Campbell, head coach of the Detroit Lions (Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images/File)
Even though the Lions have to go back to the drawing board, their head coach still believes they have the team needed to make it to the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history.
