Dan Campbell walked off the field following last season’s NFL Divisional Round playoff loss to the Washington Commanders without many answers. An unexpected loss at Ford Field as the NFC’s top seed following a franchise-record 15 regular season wins meant nothing after a 45-31 setback. This came a year after his team the San Francisco 49ers ripped his team’s heart out in the NFC Championship Game.
Ahead of the 2025 season, he vows to never feel those bouts of hopelessness again.
“We’re out to finish what we started,” Campbell said, according to Yahoo Sports’ Jori Epstein. “We’re going to close out some of these debts.”
That represents a bold proclamation considering the overhaul of the Lions‘ coaching staff. Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is now coach of the Chicago Bears, while Aaron Glenn shed defensive coordinator duties to lead the New York Jets.
All-Pro center Frank Ragnow retired in June due to health reasons and had started 96 games — including four playoff starts — for the franchise since he was drafted in 2018.
Players express confidence that former Denver Broncos pass game coordinator John Morton can keep the offense clicking at a high rate. Lions linebackers coach Kelvin Sheppard was promoted to call the shots defensively.
Detroit led the NFL in scoring offense last season at 33.2 points per game and had clinched home-field advantage throughout the playoffs before failing to show defensively against the Commanders.
Campbell took full accountability after the loss.
“It was one of those, you know it was just one of those odd days,” Cambell said in January. “Things were a little bit off, and you know … it’s not just one thing. It’s kind of how the day was. That has not been our M.O. We just didn’t play great, man. … You know at the end of the day, man, I didn’t have them ready. … We just didn’t get it done … It’s hard, man.
“When you lose these games, man … it’s like the players, you know what they put into it. Lot of people don’t know what they go through. You have to get up, bodies beat to s—, and mentally stay locked in and do those things. So long season. … It’s my fault. It’s my fault.”
The Lions opened training camp this week, which included return of former first-round pick Aidan Hutchinson. He posted 7.5 sacks in five games last season before a season-ending injury. Hutchinson, quarterback Jared Goff and others are integral parts of a team that — if Campbell’s warning is correct — will be one of the NFL’s best.
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Author: Brad Crawford
July 22, 2025 | 12:26 pm
