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Dan Campbell is going to stay straight with his Detroit Lions – good or bad.
This year, many didn’t think that would happen for the Lions, and Campbell was asked during his end-of-season press conference how he would assess the 2025 campaign.
For a team that was one of the NFC’s Super Bowl favorites in the preseason, Campbell called it like it is for his team.
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Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell speaks to the media after an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)
“Not good enough. We didn’t get in, we didn’t make it,” he said, according to Yahoo Sports. “So, not good. I’d give myself a fucking F.”
The Lions managed to get over .500, winning their Week 18 game against the Chicago Bears, 19-16. But Campbell has always been as harsh a self-critic as he is with his team, so it’s not shocking to hear him rate himself so harshly.
But Campbell knows this is the first time since 2022 that the Lions have missed the playoffs, and that a 9-8 season is no longer the norm for the franchise.
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The Lions have slowly evolved into one of the most formidable teams in the league, after going 15-2 last year to earn the No. 1 seed in the NFC. However, they certainly didn’t live up to expectations, being upset by rookie Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders at Ford Field in the divisional round.
Two years prior, the Lions entered the NFC Championship Game against the San Francisco 49ers after a 12-5 record. They also would have reached the team’s first-ever Super Bowl, if not for a second-half collapse in the Bay Area that saw a miraculous comeback by the 49ers to earn a spot in the Big Game.
Campbell saw changes within his coaching staff this past offseason, with his two main coordinators finding head coaching positions elsewhere.
Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell watches the second half against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on September 22, 2024 in Glendale, Arizona. (Matt Kartozian/Imagn Images)
Most important was Ben Johnson, the offensive genius who unlocked Jared Goff and company, taking the Bears’ job in the NFC North. Johnson went from strong ally to bitter rival, and Chicago won the division title in his first year.
Aaron Glenn, the Lions’ defensive coordinator under Campbell, didn’t have the same luck as Johnson, as his New York Jets went 3-14. Glenn, however, was not among those cut during “Black Monday,” as the Jets remain committed to him at least to start the 2026 season.
Campbell still can’t believe what happened after such a hot start to the season. The Lions went 4-1 to start the year, but failed to find consistency afterward.
A shocking Christmas Day loss to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 17 ended their playoff hopes.
“It’s hard to believe this is it,” Campbell said. “It’s going to be a tough pill to swallow watching these teams in the playoffs. But I think you have to watch them. You have to force yourself to do it because it’s motivation to want to be there, to be a part of it.”
Head coach Dan Campbell looks on before the game against the Cleveland Browns at Ford Field on September 28, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan. (Mike Mulholland/Getty Images)
There’s no doubt that Campbell will continue to trust his process and his team to get the job done, but he’ll have to wait until September for a chance to score the playoff goal again.
Campbell just completed his fifth season as head coach of the Lions. He has a record of 53-43-1 in 97 games.
