Dan Campbell might lose a coach or two during the ongoing NFL hiring cycle, but he remains confident the Lions have the foundation to be back stronger next season to compete for the Super Bowl.
“We talk about that core. That core group is still intact — and we’ve signed some back, some are up on contracts and that’ll be ongoing. But, yeah, we absolutely do,” Campbell said Monday of whether the Lions’ window is still open. “I think the most important thing is you want to know you’ve got your culture, you’ve got your identity, and you’ve got players that fit into that, and we’ve got that. And we’ve got players in every pivotal position you can ask for to have success and those guys are made the right way, so, absolutely, our window is open.”
Detroit claimed the No. 1 seed in the NFC for the first time in franchise history. But the Lions were blown out by the Washington Commanders, 45-31, on Saturday night at Ford Field. The abrupt end to a season in which the Lions were 15-2 is a difficult reality for Campbell and many of his players who felt the sting of a season-ending loss in the NFC Championship at San Francisco a year ago.
“We met two of those goals this year and, in a sense, went above and beyond what we were a year ago,” Campbell said. “But yet, we didn’t get any further and man, that’s disappointing. But it also eats at me. That drives me. That motivates me.”
Campbell said of the season finish: “We’re going to come back stronger, we’re going to learn from this, and it’s just more fuel on the fire, is what it is.”
The Lions re-signed multiple core players last offseason with new deals for quarterback Jared Goff, offensive tackle Penei Sewell and wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown.
While there are personnel holes to be filled, Campbell also has a coaching staff in flux. Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson has three known interviews for head-coaching vacancies and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn is a popular candidate, too. Campbell said he reminded players and coaches there is a “next man up” mentality regardless of what happens with his top lieutenants.
With a 27-7 regular-season record the past two seasons, the win-now approach for the franchise won’t change, Campbell said. He is prioritizing making certain Goff’s comfort level in the offense doesn’t decline.
“We’re not going to allow that to happen,” Campbell said. “Does it hurt to lose those guys? Absolutely. They’re a part of what we’ve been here. They’ve been here for four years and they’re one of the major reasons why we’ve been able to get to where we’ve been.
“We came out of the dump and got to where we’re at, so I will forever be grateful for those guys and our team will. And is it a loss? Absolutely, it’d be a loss, but yet we move forward. This train rolls on and I’ll find the next best guys for us.”
