For decades—actually, for generations—the Detroit Lions were the example of how to do everything wrong in the NFL.
In a league built to avoid dynasties and disasters, the Lions were the latter. From 1958 to 2022, Detroit won a single playoff game. The Motown Kitties constantly hired the wrong people, refused to fire them quickly enough to save themselves from a deeper hole, and then threw the next hire into the pit.
Suddenly, that’s all changing.
On Thursday morning, Detroit gave well-deserved contract extensions to general manager Brad Holmes and coach Dan Campbell, despite the duo still having three years on their respective contracts.
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It was a move made not only to maintain stability and an upward trajectory, but also to make a statement: If you succeed here, you’ll be rewarded.
Before Holmes and Campbell arrived, the Lions were in a typical funk. Three consecutive losing seasons. No playoff appearances since 2016. The only hope was quarterback Matthew Stafford, who was already in his early 30s.
Holmes immediately made an impact. On March 18 of his first offseason, Holmes traded Stafford to the Los Angeles Rams (his previous employer), in exchange for Jared Goff, two first-round picks and a third-round pick.
At the time, Goff was a diminishing product, with his best days seemingly behind him despite youth being on his side. In Detroit, the quarterback was restored like an old car in need of a paint job.
Enter Campbell. Campbell didn’t come into Detroit with fanfare. He was a surprising choice after spending five years with the New Orleans Saints as the tight ends coach. His introductory presser was mocked after he talked about biting kneecaps, making a point about grit and toughness.
But Campbell has proven to be the correct choice, even if it lacked the flash so many teams aim for in the hiring process.
When Campbell arrived, he didn’t reflexively clean house. Instead, he empowered the right men, promoting Ben Johnson from a quality control coach. Within two years, he was the offensive coordinator. Now, despite numerous overtures, Johnson has stayed with the Lions, claiming unfinished business.
The result is a renaissance for Goff. The 2016 No. 1 pick has flourished, throwing for more than 4,400 yards each of the past two seasons. In ’23, Goff led the Lions to a pair of playoff victories—the first coming against Stafford and the Rams in what was a gridiron exorcism.
Holmes was instrumental in helping the Lions reach that point. After dealing Stafford, he nailed multiple draft classes. In his three years with Detroit, the Lions have selected Aidan Hutchinson, Penei Sewell, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Alim McNeill, Jack Campbell and Brian Branch. They also netted Jahmyr Gibbs and Sam LaPorta, both direct results of the Stafford trade.
All told, the partnership of Campbell and Holmes has led to a pair of winning seasons, the first NFC North crown in team history and the first NFC title game appearance since 1991.
Together they have an argument as a top tandem in the league. Looking at the other 31 clubs, here’s a rough list of the best GM–HC duos in football:
1. Brett Veach and Andy Reid, Kansas City Chiefs
2. Les Snead and Sean McVay, Los Angeles Rams
3. John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan, San Francisco 49ers
4. Eric DeCosta and John Harbaugh, Baltimore Ravens
After that, you could argue for the Holmes-Campbell ticket, alongside the likes of Howie Roseman and Nick Sirianni with the Philadelphia Eagles, and Brian Gutekunst and Matt LaFleur of the rival Green Bay Packers.
Moving forward, Detroit is in a great spot to continue ascending. With its great drafts, the franchise has a hoard of stars on cheap rookie deals, while Goff is on a reasonable $32.3 million cap hit this season before needing an extension.
And this offseason has already seen a key addition in Carlton Davis III, acquired in a trade with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Davis, 27, gives the Lions a sticky cover-corner in the secondary, something they sorely lacked last year.
In the upcoming draft, Detroit owns seven picks, including three in the top 75.
After coming within one more good half of football to the franchise’s first Super Bowl appearance, the Lions aren’t sitting back. They’re being proactive, showing a belief in their team that has been earned—largely because of the dual vision of Campbell and Holmes.
