Coming off a deep playoff run in 2023 and a 15-2 regular season in 2024, the Detroit Lions’ expectations inside Allen Park were sky-high. Players talked openly about unfinished business. Coaches preached urgency. Fans circled “Super Bowl contender” next to the Lions’ name before Week 1 even kicked off.
And then the season happened.
Between a brutal schedule, shaky offensive line play, and a defense that just couldn’t stay healthy, the Lions stumbled out of contention and officially missed the postseason for the first time since 2022. It wasn’t the script anybody expected, and now everyone is trying to unpack what went wrong.
One of the louder voices weighing in? Fox Sports 1’s Nick Wright, and he didn’t exactly hold back.
“Was the Super Bowl window ever really open?”
According to Wright, the Lions’ failure to capitalize didn’t come out of nowhere, he believes Detroit may have been riding momentum more than reality.
“I don’t know that the Lions’ Super Bowl window was ever actually open,” Wright said as quoted by Lions OnSI. “As good as Dan Campbell’s been, there’s been one season where they’ve won a playoff game since he’s been there. They won two, and then they blew a lead in the NFC Championship game.”
In other words, Wright thinks Detroit’s magical rise masked structural cracks that resurfaced in 2025.
Culture can elevate you. Culture can change a franchise. But culture alone doesn’t win chess matches in January.
And that’s where Wright thinks the Lions took their biggest hit.
Losing Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn? Yeah… that mattered.
The Lions didn’t just lose players last offseason, they lost two of the sharpest minds on the sideline.
Ben Johnson took over the Chicago Bears and immediately turned them into a legitimate NFC North contender. Aaron Glenn left for a head-coaching job of his own. And while plenty of fans shrugged at the time, figuring Detroit’s culture was strong enough to survive, Wright believes those departures ripped away Detroit’s biggest competitive advantage.
“I think the loss of Ben Johnson is real,” Wright said. “I think the loss of Aaron Glenn… doesn’t mean that he wasn’t a super valuable defensive coordinator.”
He wasn’t ripping John Morton or Kelvin Sheppard, but he was pointing out that the Lions no longer had the schematic edge they once did.
Culture gets you out of the basement. Schematics keep you in the penthouse.
Detroit fell somewhere in between.
Jared Goff: Good… but limited when things go sideways
Wright also revisited his long-standing take on Jared Goff, calling him a “civilian” quarterback in a league where some guys wear capes.
And the Christmas Day collapse didn’t help the narrative.
After protecting the ball most of the year, Goff was directly involved in five turnovers in Detroit’s elimination loss. That was the kind of performance that makes analysts and fans question ceiling vs. floor.
“If everything is just right, he can be exceptional,” Wright said. “He’s accurate, he’s on time, he can operate your offense. But if things get a little off, I don’t think he can fix things for you. That’s just a hard way to operate.”
That’s not a condemnation, but it is a reminder of what the Lions must build around him:
Elite blocking
Strong run game
Stable, coordinated structure
When those things crack? The margin disappears fast.
So… where do the Lions go from here?
This season will sting for a while. There’s no way around that.
But there’s also clarity.
The Lions don’t need a culture reboot. They don’t need to blow up the roster. They don’t need to panic.
What they do need is:
Smarter game-planning
Stronger trenches
A renewed commitment to coaching excellence
The Lions proved they can build something legitimate.
The Detroit Lions received some encouraging news regarding Amon-Ra St. Brown ahead of their crucial Week 17 matchup, and head coach Dan Campbell made it clear the outlook is trending in the right direction.
Speaking Tuesday, Campbell said there is “positive news” surrounding St. Brown’s availability, even though the star wide receiver is dealing with some knee irritation. While St. Brown was listed as a non-participant in the Lions’ estimated walkthrough earlier in the week, Campbell emphasized that the issue does not appear to be serious at this point.
“There’s some irritation,” Campbell acknowledged, “but again, the news is positive.”
St. Brown has been a cornerstone of Detroit’s offense all season, hauling in 98 receptions for 1,194 yards and 11 touchdowns through 15 games. With the Lions still fighting for their playoff lives, his presence on the field Thursday would be massive.
The Lions are on a compressed schedule with the game being played on Christmas Day, meaning practice time is limited and injury decisions will come quickly. Still, Campbell’s tone suggested optimism rather than concern.
Detroit will release its final injury report Wednesday, which should provide a clearer picture of St. Brown’s status. For now, though, the Lions appear hopeful that their top offensive weapon will be ready when they need him most.
The Detroit Lions walked out of Ford Field on Sunday knowing this one would linger.
A last-second offensive pass interference call wiped away what appeared to be a game-winning touchdown, sealing a brutal loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. But inside the locker room, the message was less about officiating, and more about accountability, identity, and what comes next.
Here are the quotes that defined the night.
Dan Campbell: “It shouldn’t ever come to that.”
Head coach Dan Campbell didn’t hide his frustration, but he also didn’t deflect blame.
“We weren’t able to close it out,” Campbell said. “And at the end of the day, that’s on us. We put ourselves in that position.”
On the controversial ending, Campbell made it clear his team had chances long before the final snap.
“I don’t even want to get into it, because it’s not going to change anything. We still lost. It shouldn’t ever come to that. We had our opportunities and didn’t put it in before that play.”
Jared Goff: “Find out who we are.”
Quarterback Jared Goff echoed Campbell’s tone, frustrated but focused forward.
“The message was to find out who we are, character-wise — find out what we’re made of,” Goff said.
Goff acknowledged the reality of the playoff picture without sugarcoating it.
“We know the percentages. We know we’re not eliminated, but we know we need some things to go our way.”
On being on the outside looking in late in the season, Goff admitted the pressure is real.
“We haven’t had that feeling, and it’s creeping in on us now. Are we who we say we are? That’s what these next games will show.”
Amon-Ra St. Brown: “It never comes down to one play.”
Wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown was calm, measured, and blunt about the ending.
“It is what it is,” St. Brown said. “Those are the rules. You can’t change them.”
St. Brown shut down the idea that the game hinged on one flag.
“It never comes down to one play. There were plenty of plays throughout the game that we could have made.”
On whether Steelers cornerback Jalen Ramsey sold the call:
“We got a PI on them earlier in that drive. We got a call, they got a call. At the end of the day, we didn’t make enough plays.”
Aidan Hutchinson: “Fix it and move on.”
Defensive end Aidan Hutchinson didn’t dodge responsibility, even while acknowledging the controversy.
“You can look at it two ways. Defensively, we didn’t have to put our offense in that position.”
Still, Hutchinson admitted the ending was hard to swallow.
“I’ve never seen two offensive pass interference calls decide a game like that. It sucks, because there’s no changing it.”
His focus, though, was already shifting forward.
“All we can do is fix our mistakes and move on.”
Taylor Decker: “We put ourselves in that position.”
Veteran tackle Taylor Decker spoke like someone who’s been through it before.
“It sucks. There’s no sugar-coating that.”
Decker pointed to missed opportunities earlier in the game.
“We had so many chances earlier. We didn’t play well enough. We put ourselves in that position, and it didn’t have to be that way.”
On the broader playoff situation:
“That’s the heartbreaking part of this league — you have to earn it every week. Nobody cares what you did last year.”
Kalif Raymond: “Don’t lose your identity.”
Receiver Kalif Raymond captured the emotional weight of the locker room, and the message Campbell delivered afterward.
“The toughest part about the NFL is even after a loss like this, you’ve got to come back to work the next day.”
Raymond shared Campbell’s words directly.
“He said, ‘Don’t lose your identity. Know who you are. Lick your wounds tonight and go back to work tomorrow.’”
Bottom Line
The Lions could have pointed fingers. They didn’t.
Instead, the locker room message was consistent from top to bottom: the loss hurt, the ending stung, but the season isn’t over, and accountability starts internally.
With a short week and a division matchup looming, Detroit now faces the question Jared Goff posed himself:
Are the Lions who they say they are — when it matters most?
The Detroit Lions are heading into one of the most important offseasons of the Dan Campbell era, and this one has to be about clarity.
The Lions have talent. They have culture. They have a core that can compete. What they don’t have right now is margin for error. If Detroit wants to get back to being a legitimate NFC threat in 2026, these are the five non-negotiable moves they must make.
No fluff. No luxury picks. Just business.
1. Hire a New Offensive Coordinator (and Let Dan Campbell Be the CEO)
The Lions need to replace John Morton. Morton had his shot, and Dan Campbell quickly realized it was not working out. Yes, the Lions have put up a ton of points (on average) with Campbell calling the plays, but anyone who had watched realizes they have not maxed out their potential.
Dan Campbell is at his best when he’s:
Managing the whole operation
Setting tone and culture
Making big-picture calls
Not micromanaging route concepts or sequence issues.
A new offensive coordinator allows Campbell to be the CEO head coach this roster needs, not a firefighter putting out weekly fires.
2. Draft an Offensive Tackle in Round 1 (Regardless of Taylor Decker’s Future)
This one might make people uncomfortable, but it’s unavoidable.
Whether Taylor Decker retires, restructures, or plays one more year, the Lions must draft a left tackle in Round 1.
No exceptions.
You don’t wait until the problem is urgent. You stay ahead of it. A prospect like Kadyn Proctor makes too much sense:
Elite size
SEC-tested
Ready to develop behind a veteran if needed
This is about protecting the franchise QB, now and for the next decade.
3. Add a True Center (Draft or Free Agency)
The interior offensive line quietly became a problem area, and it showed in critical moments.
The Lions need:
Cleaner snaps
Better communication
A stabilizer in pass protection
Whether it comes via the draft or free agency, center has to be addressed directly, not patched together.
You can’t run a high-level offense without trust in the middle of the line.
4. Get a Legitimate Edge Rusher Opposite Aidan Hutchinson
Aidan Hutchinson is a monster. He draws attention every snap. He changes game plans.
And he still needs help.
Right now, offenses can:
Chip Hutchinson
Slide protection his way
Dare someone else to beat them
That’s not sustainable.
Detroit needs a true edge threat on the opposite side, someone who can win one-on-one and punish teams for overcommitting to Hutchinson. This can’t be a rotational flyer. It has to be a real investment.
5. Prepare a Safety Backup Plan (Branch/Joseph Insurance)
This one depends on health — but it can’t be ignored.
If Brian Branch and/or Kerby Joseph aren’t ready for Week 1, the Lions can’t scramble in August.
They need:
A veteran safety option
Or a draft pick ready to contribute early
The Lions’ defensive system relies heavily on safety versatility. Losing even one starter without a plan would be costly.
The Bottom Line
This offseason isn’t about splurging or chasing headlines. It’s about fixing the pressure points:
New offensive leadership
Future-proofing the offensive line
Helping Hutchinson finish plays
Protecting the back end
If the Lions nail these five moves, they’re not just fixing problems; they’re extending their competitive window.
The reality for theDetroit Lions right now isn’t complicated, it’s just brutally unforgiving.
After watching his team put up 34 points and still walk away with a loss against the Los Angeles Rams, head coach Dan Campbell didn’t sugarcoat what’s happening. When the defense can’t get stops, the offense is being asked to operate with almost no room for mistakes.
And Campbell knows exactly how thin that line has become.
That single sentence pretty much sums up where Detroit is entering the final stretch of the season.
“You Can’t Miss on Anything” Anymore
Campbell pointed directly to the third quarter against the Rams as the moment everything unraveled. The Lions couldn’t establish the run, the pass game stalled briefly, and the defense continued to give up chunk plays.
That combination, in today’s NFL, is deadly.
“You can’t not have a completion, or miss on a shot play, or give up a sack.”
Campbell explained that when things aren’t synced up, when the defense is leaking yards and points, the offense is forced into perfection mode.
“That’s very difficult if you’re asking that of your pass game in today’s game and the league, the way it’s set up. So … it puts a lot of strain on you.”
In other words, one negative play, one stalled drive, one missed opportunity, and the whole thing can collapse.
Campbell has talked all season about the need for complementary football, and the Rams loss only reinforced how elusive that balance has been.
The Lions have had games where the defense carried the load and the offense sputtered. Now, they’re seeing the opposite, strong offensive output paired with defensive breakdowns.
The result? Inconsistency, frustration, and a team that’s forced to play every snap like it’s life-or-death.
Campbell didn’t sound panicked, but he did sound realistic.
Right now, Detroit doesn’t have the luxury of playing “pretty good” football.
They have to be sharp. They have to be detailed. They have to be nearly flawless.
Because, as Campbell made clear, the margin for error isn’t just small anymore.
The Detroit Lions aren’t letting Sunday’s bizarre officiating moment slide quietly into the background.
One day after the 41–34 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, head coach Dan Campbell confirmed that the team will be reaching out to the NFL for an explanation on a controversial touchdown ruling that left players, coaches, and fans shaking their heads.
The play in question came on tight end Colby Parkinson’s touchdown, which was upheld even though replay angles clearly appeared to show his knee hitting the turf before he crossed the goal line. Despite multiple replays and slow-motion looks, officials allowed the call on the field to stand.
Campbell told reporters Monday afternoon that he received little clarity from the officiating crew, and that Detroit plans to push for answers.
“We’re going to ask about it,” Campbell said. ‘This is, it’s like I said last night, the call stands. That was as good as I got.”
The play proved to be a pivotal moment in a tight back-and-forth game, and the lack of a thorough explanation has only fueled frustration inside the building.
Reaching out to the league office is standard practice after controversial rulings, but Campbell’s tone suggested clear exasperation with the communication (or lack thereof) from the officials on the field.
Detroit now turns the page to Week 16, but not before seeking answers on a call that may have changed the momentum of Sunday’s game.
The Detroit Lions may have taken a gut punch against the Rams, but let’s not pretend the season is slipping away. In fact, the playoff picture is still very much alive, and if the Lions take care of business over the final three weeks, the rest of the NFC might want to start checking their mirrors.
That’s not hype. That’s not blind fandom. That’s what the numbers are telling us.
According to the latest projections from the New York Times, Detroit’s playoff chances surge to 94% if they win out. Yes, the same Lions team that just pushed one of the NFC’s best to the wire is still holding nearly every card it needs to play meaningful football in January.
And the best part? Winning out is totally realistic.
The Schedule Sets Up Perfectly
Detroit closes the season with:
Week 16: vs. Steelers
Week 17: at Vikings
Week 18: at Bears
Neither the Steelers nor the Vikings are playing particularly inspired football right now. The Lions, despite the injuries and inconsistency, are still the more complete roster than both of those teams. In fact, almost anyone would take the Lions current roster over what the Bears are marching out on a weekly basis.
You can feel it, even after a loss, that this team understands what’s at stake.
Win all three, and the Lions are nearly a lock to get in.
That’s why the simulations lean heavily in Detroit’s favor when they run the “win out” scenario. The Lions don’t need miracles, and they don’t need tiebreaker chaos. They just need to play their brand of football for three straight weeks.
Momentum Is Everything — and the Lions Can Build It Fast
Despite the loss to Los Angeles, the offense showed exactly why nobody wants to face Detroit in a Wild Card game. Jared Goff threw for 338 yards. Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams both posted monster performances. The playmakers are playing like stars, and when Dan Campbell presses the gas pedal, this team can go blow-for-blow with anyone in the conference.
Defensively, things are not looking as great with Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch both out. Young players are gaining snaps, reinforcements are returning, and the coaching adjustments we’ve seen over the last month suggest this unit is capable of stabilizing at just the right time.
And historically? Campbell teams finish strong. They don’t fade, they surge.
Imagine the Lions rolling into the postseason on a three-game win streak. Imagine this offense humming, the defense tightening up, and Detroit entering January as one of the hottest teams in football.
It’s not far-fetched. It’s the most likely outcome if Detroit does what it’s capable of.
The Bottom Line: Don’t Count Out Detroit
The numbers say the Lions are still positioned to make the playoffs. The remaining schedule gives them a clear path. And the confidence inside that locker room hasn’t wavered for a second.
So, yes, if the Detroit Lions win out, which they absolutely can, then look out. This team isn’t just fighting for a playoff berth. They’re fighting to remind the NFC that last year was no fluke. The window is open, the opportunity is real, and Detroit is nowhere close to finished.
The Detroit Lionshad every opportunity to change the tone of their season on Thanksgiving. Instead, the Green Bay Packers walked out of Ford Field with a 31–24 win, and Dan Campbell walked into the postgame press room with honesty, frustration, and plenty to say.
Below is a complete, cleaned-up, word-for-word breakdown of everything Campbell said, organized by topic, with each section including his full quotes.
Campbell opened by crediting Green Bay — and acknowledging exactly where the game was lost.
“Credit that team and Matt. They did a good job. They closed that game out, and they made the critical plays. I’m proud of the way our guys fought. I feel like we came in ready to go from that aspect with plenty of energy, but really this game came down to fourth down and those critical moments. We were 0-for-2 and they were able to capitalize on three of them. Those are the one or two plays that make the difference when you’re playing a really good team. That’s what it came down to. Like I told the team, it’s frustrating. I know we’ve got a lot to be thankful for even after a loss. We dug ourselves a little bit of a hole. That’s the bottom line. We are in a little bit of a hole. But that’s just what it is. There’s nothing more than that. All we’ve got to do is worry about cleaning this up, getting to the next game, and finding a way to win the next one in front of us. After this day or two they get off, that’s what the focus will be.”
Campbell thought Detroit’s coverage was there — the Packers simply made a play.
“It was a good decision — going for the win, finishing the game. They came up with it. BB was in phase. That was sticky coverage, and thirteen went up and made a hell of a play. Credit to them. It wasn’t like we weren’t in position. That’s just those moments.”
Campbell was unusually transparent with his self-critique.
“I didn’t like one of those fourth-down calls. I don’t know how good of an opportunity we really gave our guys on that first one. But we had an opportunity, and even at the end of the day we had an opportunity and we just couldn’t get it done later in the game.”
He added that the recent struggles don’t change his philosophy:
“No, it doesn’t change my approach. A lot of it depends on where the game is at, the opponent, how your defense is playing, and what you feel like you’re going to get from that defense. Who you’re going to. All those things. Going into it, we liked those plays. I wouldn’t say that’s going to have an effect on me. You always want to convert them, and we’ve had a lot of conversions here. It just didn’t work out today.”
Campbell fully acknowledged the impact of losing Amon-Ra St. Brown in the first quarter.
“For sure. When you lose a guy like Saint, it’s tough. Everybody knows the production and the versatility he has, but also all the dirty work he does in the run game and all the little things — the nuances of where you line up, where you go, who you block. If it’s this look you go here, and if they go here, you need to slide back and do that. He is so smart and he’s tough. There’s a million jobs he does, and he does them at a high level. It hurts when you lose him.”
He praised the players who stepped in:
“With that, a guy like Jammo stepped up. I thought he was electric — made a lot of big plays for us. That was good to see. We thought he would. I wish we could’ve gotten the ball in his hands more. We had some calls there that the defense took him away and it had to go somewhere else. TK — we trust TK. It’s why he’s here. It’s why he’s on the vet squad and we elevate him, because he can return for us and he can do a million jobs on offense. Tesla made some big plays today. That is a positive. We had three really new tight ends. Dwelley kind of started for us, we used Skip, and then there was Ferg and Horton. It was good to see those guys compete and mix it up.”
Campbell refused to speculate without watching the tape.
“I don’t know. It’s a good question. I need to watch this game. I want to know what this game looks like before I make a comment on that.”
Campbell remained cautiously optimistic.
“I’ll know more tomorrow. I don’t feel like this is long-term. That’s the good news. But that doesn’t mean it won’t be here for a week or two, maybe, if we’re lucky.”
Campbell made one of his bluntest statements of the night.
“You need a little help. You’ve got to do your job. You’ve got to win, and you need a little help. That’s what it is. But it all starts with you doing your job — which is us — and finding a way to win the next one in front of us. It really is that simple. Don’t make more of it than needs to be. It’s frustrating. It sucks. It’s tough. But we did it to ourselves, and we’re the only ones who are going to get out of it as well.”
This is where Campbell’s tone completely changed.
“Yeah, fired up. Fired up to get Frank — to get him back. He wants to play. He wants to be a part of it. He misses the game. He misses his teammates. So really fired up. He’s a good football player. He brings a lot of production back to that O-line and the game itself, but he’s also a great teammate. He was one of our captains. He brings a lot to our team.”
Campbell also explained how the decision came together:
“I think this is something that’s been on his mind for a while. And then he called me. So we were good.”
He added:
“Yesterday morning is when I got the call officially. I know his teammates had talked to him, and I know some of those guys have been back and forth with him. I got wind of something not too long ago. But hey — we’re fired up.”
Campbell credited his players for fighting.
“Things are a little different — that’s the best way to say it. Sometimes you’ve got to go about things a little differently. I thought those guys battled up there today. They did some good things in the run game. I thought we had some pretty good protection on a lot of our play-pass stuff. I know we got hit on some things, but those guys competed.”
He singled out center Michael Colón:
“Colón started for us at center. I thought he was clear. I thought communication was good. Tried to finish.”
And then he widened the lens:
“When things don’t go right, it’s all-encompassing. I’m part of that. I can always be better and need to be better. It’s all the positions — not just the O-line. It’s about finding our own rhythm. Once we find the rhythm, keep the rhythm. You’ve just got to go about it a certain way.”
Fans were vocal. Campbell knew it.
“I know that’s frustrating when you’re a fan watching, but I know how we needed to play against that defensive front. It was about playing for the last possession. We were going to do that. I was going to have the defense get the stop, use our timeouts, and get one more shot to go win the game. That’s how we were playing it. I wanted to play it just like that. I wanted to keep it in our hands and not turn it into a ‘pin your ears back and fly up the field’ with Micah Parsons and those guys.”
Campbell didn’t shy from accountability.
“I can always be better. I’m always going to want more. I’m always going to feel like I need to do some things a little bit different, but you can always go hindsight on all of this. ‘Man, why’d you run here? I wish I would have play-passed on this one. I wish I would have dropped back on this one.’ Ultimately, we didn’t win the game.”
He added:
“As far as the way I wanted to play that game offensively — that was the vision I had for it. We’ve got to convert those first two series. We’ve got to find a way to convert on third. And then the fourth downs. You’re talking about two or three plays against a good team that made the difference.”
Campbell admitted the obvious.
“Yeah, he’s a playmaker, and he does a ton for us. I’m not going to say it doesn’t influence you or affect you.”
But he emphasized that Detroit still had options:
“I have a lot of trust in Tom Kennedy. I have a lot of trust in Jamo, especially when we know what the coverage is and we’ve got him running. We still have Gibbs. If you like the players and you like the play, sometimes you may not like the coverage you think you’re going to get, or where the ball is going to go, or which player has to win on that route. But in the moment, it felt like the right thing to do today.”
Dan Campbell left nothing unsaid. He acknowledged mistakes, defended key decisions, accepted responsibility, and praised the players who stepped up. He was raw and brutally honest about the Lions’ situation.
And he summed it up best with this:
“We did it to ourselves, and we’re the only ones who are going to get out of it.”
If you watched the Detroit Lions’ final offensive possession against the Green Bay Packers, you probably felt your blood pressure spike. Six minutes on the clock, down seven, and a whole lot of short passes, runs, and huddles. Fans were screaming for urgency. The broadcast crew was questioning the pace. Social media was melting down.
And then Dan Campbell stepped to the podium and explained exactly why the Lions played it the way they did.
Campbell Knew Fans Would Hate It
Before the question was even finished, Campbell acknowledged the frustration he knew was coming.
“I know that’s frustrating when you’re a fan watching.”
And he wasn’t wrong. Detroit needed a touchdown, momentum was slipping, and the clock kept bleeding.
But Campbell made it clear: the strategy wasn’t accidental. It was intentional.
Playing for the Last Shot
Instead of rushing, Campbell wanted control. Total control.
“It was about playing for the last possession. We were going to do that.”
That line tells the whole story. The Lions weren’t trying to score fast. They were trying to score last, and leave Jordan Love standing on the sideline with no time to answer.
Campbell laid out exactly how he thought it would unfold:
“I was going to — defense was going to get the stop. We were going to use our timeouts, get one more shot to go win the game.”
It was a three-step plan:
Score methodically
Let the defense get a stop
Get the ball back one more time
The problem? Detroit never got past Step 1.
The Micah Parsons Factor
Campbell also admitted another reason for the slower approach: avoiding disaster.
“I wanted to keep it in our hands… and not turn it into a pin your ears back and start flying up the field with Michael Parsons and those guys.”
That name — Micah Parsons — mattered. Even though he now plays for the Packers, the logic stays the same: Detroit didn’t want to get into a full-speed dropback scenario where their banged-up offensive line had to protect for long-developing routes.
This wasn’t Campbell being reckless. This was Campbell being protective.
So… Was It the Right Call?
That’s the million-dollar question.
On one hand, the Lions needed points. Fast. The slow pace reduced margin for error and limited the number of possessions they’d have left.
On the other hand, Campbell wasn’t wrong about the matchup concerns. The line was battered, the pass rush was getting home, and Detroit had already lost rhythm without Amon-Ra St. Brown.
He made a choice based on trust:
Trust in his offense to score
Trust in his defense to get one more stop
Trust in his team’s ability to win it late
Whether fans agree is a different story.
Campbell Stands By His Decision
The biggest takeaway? Campbell isn’t second-guessing himself.
“I wanted to play it just like that.”
No wavering. No regrets. No “maybe.” He believed in the plan — even after it failed.
And that’s the essence of Dan Campbell. He is who he is: Aggressive when it makes sense, deliberate when it doesn’t. Emotional at times, analytical at others. And always willing to back the decisions he makes.
The Bottom Line
Detroit’s final drive didn’t end the way fans hoped. But it wasn’t chaos. It wasn’t panic. It wasn’t confusion.
It was a clear, deliberate, and well-rooted plan, rooted in matchup realities.
Whether Campbell made the right call is up for debate. But he didn’t hide from it. He explained it, owned it, and stood firm in the philosophy behind it.
And that’s why the Lions remain a team built in their coach’s image, for better or worse.
If you were looking for excuses after the Detroit Lionsdropped their Thanksgiving matchup to the Green Bay Packers, Dan Campbelldefinitely wasn’t offering any. His postgame press conference felt less like damage control and more like a hard look in the mirror, the kind of accountability fans don’t always get from NFL coaches.
And honestly? It landed.
Dan Campbell Doesn’t Hide from the Reality
Right out of the gate, Campbell made it clear this wasn’t about bad luck or officiating. It wasn’t even about injuries or game flow. It was about the Lions getting in their own way.
“We dug ourselves a little bit of a hole. That’s the bottom line. We are in a little bit of a hole.”
It was blunt, and it was true. Detroit has now dropped three of its last five, and the mistakes are starting to pile up at the worst possible time.
But Campbell didn’t stop there.
“We did it to ourselves… and we’re the only ones who are going to get out of it as well.”
That line summarized everything about the culture he’s built. No finger-pointing. No self-pity. Just responsibility.
Fourth Downs: Where the Game Slipped Away
The most glaring difference between these two teams on Thanksgiving?
The Packers handled the big moments. The Lions didn’t.
Detroit went 0-for-2 on fourth down. Green Bay went 3-for-3, with two of those conversions turning directly into touchdowns.
Campbell didn’t pretend the decisions were perfect.
“One of those I didn’t like… I don’t know how good of an opportunity we really gave our guys on that first one.”
Still, he defended the team’s identity. The Lions are aggressive by design, and Campbell isn’t walking away from that.
“You always want to convert them and we’ve had a lot of conversions here. It just didn’t work out today.”
Fans will debate the calls all week. Campbell has already moved on to why they failed — not whether going for it was right.
No Panic, Just Hard Work Ahead
Even with the tough loss and the uphill climb in the NFC North, Campbell stayed steady in his message. Fix what’s in front of you.
“All we got to do is worry about cleaning up this and then getting to the next game and finding a way to win the next one in front of us.”
He also acknowledged an uncomfortable truth: Detroit now needs help in the standings.
“You got to do your job. You got to win and you need a little help… but it all starts with you doing your job.”
It’s not where the Lions expected to be in late November, but the coach isn’t letting it shake the team’s identity.
What’s Next for Detroit?
With Amon-Ra St. Brown dealing with an ankle injury and the offense missing its rhythm, Campbell didn’t shy away from admitting it’s been tough. But he refused to let injuries become an excuse.
“It really is that simple. And don’t make more of it than needs be. It’s frustrating. It sucks. It’s tough, but we’ve done it… and we’re the only ones who are going to get out of it as well.”
That’s the tone you want from your head coach. That’s the tone of a team that’s still alive. Now it’s on the Lions to match it.
The last time the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers met, it was Week 1 at Lambeau Field, and Detroit looked nothing like the team we’ve watched claw their way to 7–4. Green Bay punched them in the mouth in the opener — 27–13 — and the Lions have been quietly circling Thanksgiving Day ever since.
Now, with the Packers sitting at 7–3–1 and the Lions fresh off a chaotic overtime win over the Giants, Vegas has dropped the Week 13 opening line.
And guess what? According to DraftKings, Detroit is a 3-point favorite. Yes, even after the offense has been sputtering. Yes, even after Week 1. Yes, even after Dan Campbell basically aged 10 years on the sideline Sunday.
Let’s break it down.
Different Vibes Heading into Thanksgiving
Both teams are coming off wins… but the vibes couldn’t be more different.
Green Bay:
They just handled the Vikings at Lambeau, and their defense is suddenly playing with real confidence. Their pass rush has been the story of the season, and Jordan Love has been better than people want to admit, especially in clutch moments.
Detroit:
They had to dig themselves out of the Mariana Trench to beat the Giants. The offense still isn’t fully clicking under Campbell’s new play-calling stretch, but the team’s stars, Gibbs, St. Brown, Hutchinson, Bates, bailed them out when it mattered.
Vegas sees all that… and still leans Detroit -3.
Why? Because Thanksgiving at Ford Field has become a different kind of animal.
The Bottom Line
Vegas opening the line at Lions -3 is a sign of respect. A sign of faith, even.
They’re telling you: Yeah, Detroit looks messy right now, but they still have the better roster, the better playmakers, and the home-field edge.
This game is dripping with storylines: revenge, division implications, momentum, playoff seeding, and maybe even “Dan Campbell’s offense finally wakes up.”
Whether you’re betting it or just stress-eating turkey legs, this is shaping up to be one of the most important Thanksgiving games Ford Field has hosted in years.
Sometimes football is complicated… and sometimes it’s “Give the ball to the dude who’s cooked everyone all day.” Dan Campbell basically admitted exactly that after the Detroit Lions’ dramatic 34–27 OT win over the New York Giants. And yes, he wanted the ball in Jahmyr Gibbs’ hands the whole time.
The Lead
The Detroit Lions needed a spark, a play, something, and Jahmyr Gibbs gave them a 69-yard firework show on the first play of overtime. But according to Dan Campbell, this wasn’t a surprise. It wasn’t even a debate.
“It was going to be him, somewhere in there, for sure,” Campbell said. “I wanted to lean on him.”
Dan Campbell didn’t draw up something exotic. He didn’t outsmart himself. He trusted the most explosive player on the field, and that player delivered the biggest play of the Lions’ season.
Detroit needed a hero in overtime, and Campbell made sure it was Jahmyr Gibbs holding the sword.
The Detroit Lions are living in a weird NFL universe right now, one where they simply do not draw pass interference calls. At all. Ever.
And on Friday, Dan Campbellbasically said exactly what every Lions fan is thinking: Yeah… we don’t get it either.
Detroit Has Drawn ZERO PI Flags in 2025
Not one pass interference call in their favor through 11 weeks. That makes the Lions the only team in the NFL with zero defensive PI penalties drawn.
This isn’t just a 2025 problem, either; last season they only drew one PI flag the entire year.
For reference, NFL teams have been the beneficiary of an average of 9.05 PIs per season from 2020-2025.
Detroit drew one.
So what’s going on?
Meanwhile… 7 PI Flags Have Been Called Against Detroit This Season
This is what makes the whole thing even weirder:
• Lions PI drawn: 0
• Lions PI committed: 7 (so far in 2025)
And it gets better (or worse, depending on your mood):
Detroit had 18 defensive PI penalties called against them in 2024, including the postseason.
So it’s not that officials are allergic to throwing PI flags, they just only seem to throw them against the Lions.
Campbell: “I Don’t Know. I Don’t Know, I Don’t Know.”
Before practice, Campbell was asked the obvious: Why does Detroit never seem to get a PI call?
Campbell wasn’t pretending. He was genuinely baffled.
“No, it’s interesting. We’ve talked about that before… As far as everything else, I don’t know. I don’t know, I don’t know.”
It was pure, authentic Dan Campbell confusion, the same tone he uses when someone brings up analytics he doesn’t care about.
Is Amon-Ra St. Brown Too Strong to Draw a Flag?
Campbell did float one theory involving Amon-Ra St. Brown.
“Saint is so freaking strong that he can pull himself out of being held pretty good… whereas some other guys, if you don’t have a lot of strength, at one tug, you can really notice it.”
Translation: St. Brown muscles through contact so well that refs don’t realize he’s being interfered with.
Basically, he’s too good at fighting through PI to get PI.
Detroit Teaches “Violent Separation,” and Maybe It’s Working Too Well
Campbell emphasized that winning through contact is a major coaching point.
“It’s about separating. You do everything you can to separate violently… and I do feel like our guys do a good job of separating.”
If receivers explode out of contact, officials may think the DB played it clean.
So in a weird way, elite technique might actually be hurting Detroit’s officiating luck.
So What’s the Real Reason? Nobody Knows. Not Even the Lions.
No scheme issues. No effort issues. No communication issues.
Detroit simply cannot buy a pass interference call, no matter how obvious it looks on replay, no matter how often Campbell politely (or not-so-politely) chats with the officials.
And unless something changes soon, the Lions will have to keep creating separation the hard way, because the refs sure aren’t helping.
If you were online this week, and especially if you’re a Detroit Lions fan still recovering from the Philadelphia loss, you probably saw the headline floating around: “Lions Rookie Tate Ratledge Asks for Thanksgiving Off.”
And if you thought, Wait… what? That can’t be real, congratulations, your media literacy is alive and well.
Because no, rookie OG Tate Ratledge did not actually ask Dan Campbell for a holiday break so he could eat grandma’s stuffing and watch football with his cousins. The whole thing came from a satirical site (The Onion) poking fun at Detroit’s rough week, and the internet… well… did the internet thing and took it way too seriously.
Fans Completely Missed the Joke
The article, which was 100% parody, even included this wonderfully ridiculous “quote” from Ratledge:
“I know we have a game scheduled, but my family has this big tradition every year where we all get together on that day and have a feast and watch football, and I really don’t want to miss it,” said the 24-year-old guard, adding that he’s very excited to spend time with his cousins and have a few helpings of his grandma’s famous stuffing. “I’ve already had to cancel a lot of weekend plans because of games this season, so I’m hoping I don’t have to back out on this, too. Plus, my mom said she’s making pecan pie just for me—it’s my favorite.”
Come on. That alone should’ve been the giant neon sign flashing THIS IS A JOKE.
But nope. Social media spun out anyway, with some fans genuinely convinced Ratledge was trying to skip the biggest annual game on the Lions’ calendar.
This Somehow Made Its Way to the Actual Lions
Like most things that go viral for the wrong reasons, it eventually got back to both Ratledge and the team. No drama, no anger, just a reminder that some folks may have never heard of The Onion, satire, or even common sense.
Ratledge didn’t ask out of a nationally televised game. He didn’t beg for pecan pie. And he definitely didn’t tell Dan Campbell he had “too many weekend plans this season.”
He was doing what rookies do before Thanksgiving in Detroit: getting ready to block 300-pound defensive linemen on national TV.
The Bottom Line
Tate Ratledge is playing on Thanksgiving. The Onion is still The Onion. And the internet is… still the internet.
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williamsstepped up to the podium on Thursday and delivered something fans weren’t expecting: honesty… and an apology.
After his 40-yard touchdown against the Eagles, the highlight of Detroit’s night, Williams famously leaped onto the goalpost and slid down it, earning a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty that pushed Jake Bates’ extra-point attempt back to 48 yards into heavy wind. Bates missed, and the Lions missed out on what would have been a 7–6 lead.
On Thursday, Williams explained the moment, the mistake, and the fallout.
“I Didn’t Know It Was a Penalty”
Williams told reporters he had no idea the celebration was illegal.
“I really didn’t know it was a penalty until I sat down on the bench and I seen the field goal team going out,” he said as quoted by Lions OnSI. “I apologized to Jake, I apologized to Jack, I apologize to coach, everybody. I didn’t look at it like that… I felt like it was my fault in the moment.”
Williams added that his teammates told him it wasn’t his fault, but the 23-year-old admitted it still felt like it was.
“We just gotta make plays and have to be smarter,” he said.
Moving Forward: ‘I Will Move Past It’
When asked whether this is a repeated issue, Williams pushed back.
“You think it’s something I do like often?” he said with a laugh. “I feel like I only got it one time this year. It’s something I can control for sure, but I will move past it. It’s a new week, we got a new game and that’s just that.”
Detroit will certainly appreciate the accountability and the reminder that even explosive playmakers need occasional growth moments.
Dave Fipp: The Kick Is the Kick — No Excuses
Special teams coordinator Dave Fipp said he didn’t feel the need to address the penalty with Williams. He saw head coach Dan Campbell pull Jamo aside, so he knew it was handled.
More importantly, Fipp kept the focus on execution.
“The truth is I saw him coming off the field and I saw Dan talked to him, so I knew I didn’t have to say anything,” Fipp said. “They say ‘field goal,’ then we go out there and kick a field goal. The ball’s on the 30, it’s on the 30… and it really doesn’t matter.”
He didn’t excuse the missed kick, either.
“I don’t get too caught up in the ‘I can’t believe that happened to us.’ Our job is to go out there and make the kick,” he said. “If we go out there and make the kick, then we’re not even worried about it… We didn’t execute on the kick and that was unfortunate.”
Fipp also pointed out that Bates’ late 54-yarder, a tough ask in that stadium, was just as significant.
Bottom Line
Williams owned the mistake, apologized to everyone involved, and vowed to clean it up. Campbell addressed it. Fipp downplayed it. And now the Lions move forward.
Jamo made the play everyone will remember, and the mistake everyone will talk about, but now he has an opportunity to rewrite the story on Sunday.
If he does, nobody will care about one slip down a goalpost.
The Detroit Lions aren’t shying away from the noise; they’re embracing it. After a frustrating 16-9 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, the Lions sit at 6-4 with plenty of outside doubt creeping in. But defensive star Aidan Hutchinson made it clear on Wednesday that the team isn’t running from the pressure.
They’re welcoming it.
The Lions Know People Are Doubting Them
Hutchinson didn’t pretend the national conversation hasn’t shifted. He knows exactly what’s being said, even if he isn’t scrolling through social media.
I think people have written us off a little bit, and I think it’s a good spot to be in,” Hutchinson said on Wednesday. “I’m excited, and I think these next three home games… we’ve got to be 3-0. It starts with New York (Giants) on Sunday.”
This upcoming three-game stretch at Ford Field: Giants, Packers, Cowboys, may determine Detroit’s postseason fate. Hutchinson is treating it like a playoff push starting early.
Why This Stretch Matters So Much
The Lions have dropped three of their last five, but the team hasn’t lost back-to-back games since 2022. Under Dan Campbell, they’ve consistently bounced back. This week feels like another crossroads moment.
Detroit returns home facing a Giants team with just two wins, followed by two massive NFC matchups. Win all three, and the Lions are right back in the thick of the playoff hunt. Slip up, and the uphill climb gets even tougher.
Hutchinson Isn’t Seeing the Criticism — But He Knows It’s There
Hutchinson explained that he doesn’t personally consume the negativity, but he can feel its presence.
“I don’t know how much we fuel off it, because me personally, I’m not really on social media. I don’t see a lot of that stuff. I just assume what people are probably saying about us because of the highs and lows in week-to-week of football. I just know that looking at the rest of our schedule, we’re at a point where we’ve got to win.”
He’s not wrong. The Lions were considered NFC favorites just a few weeks ago. Now, every win, especially at home, carries playoff-level significance.
The Lions Must Finish Close Games
Detroit has struggled to execute in late-game situations lately, something Hutchinson wants to see corrected immediately.
“If we get in a close game, we’ve got to win all of those close games if we want to do what we want to do this year. We all understand that, regardless of what people say about us. I think we have a great shot to do it. We just have to put all the pieces together. Even on the close games, we’ve got to pull them out.”
That sentiment echoes what Lions fans have felt all month, the pieces are there, the team just needs the late-game breakthrough.
The Bottom Line
The Lions aren’t pretending everything is fine. They know they’ve been inconsistent. They know fans are frustrated. And yes — they know analysts have already started to count them out.
But Aidan Hutchinson is turning that doubt into fuel.
Three home games. A chance to take control. A chance to silence the noise.
The Lions believe they’re built for this moment, now they just have to prove it
The Detroit Lions are hoping to get healthier on defense, and Dan Campbelldelivered one of his more encouraging injury updates in weeks. With the New York Giants coming to town for Week 12, Detroit appears to finally be getting some reinforcements.
D.J. Reed Trending Toward Playing This Week
Campbell opened by highlighting cornerback D.J. Reed, who has been fighting through a hamstring injury.
“D.J. Reed looks pretty positive,” Campbell said. “We’re gonna get him a week of work here and see where he’s at.”
Reed returning would be massive. Before going down, he was one of the Lions’ most reliable defensive backs, and Detroit’s secondary has missed his physical style and experience.
Malcolm Rodriguez Making Real Progress
Campbell also sounded upbeat when discussing linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez, who’s worked tirelessly to get back on the field.
“Rodrigo is looking better, he’s getting better every day,” Campbell said, noting that Reed and Rodriguez are “the top of that list” of players most likely to return this week.
Rodriguez’s speed and physicality would be a big boost for the second level of Detroit’s defense.
Other Defensive Names on the Mend
Campbell didn’t stop there. He noted a handful of other defenders trending in the right direction:
“Marcus Davenport’s getting better.”
“Probably going to start Khalil Dorsey’s clock this week.”
“Josh Paschal was getting better. We’re kind of getting in a good place here.”
Even with several players still on injured reserve, the overall health arrow for this defense is finally pointing upward.
What About Kerby Joseph?
One of Detroit’s most important playmakers, Kerby Joseph, is improving, but Campbell isn’t yet ready to say he’ll be available for Week 12.
“He’s getting better, Campbell said. “I don’t know if I see him in this week, but he is getting better.”
Joseph returning at some point soon feels realistic, but the Lions clearly aren’t going to rush him.
The Lions will host the 2-9 New York Giants at Ford Field next week, and any combination of returning defenders would be a welcome lift for a team hungry to get back in the win column. Detroit’s defense has held strong despite injuries, and now it appears reinforcements may finally be coming at the perfect time.
If Week 10 felt like the start of a new era for theDetroit Lions, that’s because it was — and now it’s official. Head coach Dan Campbellis keeping the offensive play-calling duties for the rest of the 2025 season, and he’s not even pretending it’s temporary.
NFL insider Jay Glazer dropped the news Sunday morning, saying he spoke directly with Campbell earlier in the week.
According to Glazer, Campbell told him “this is a permanent move… He’s going to do this for the rest of the season.” Glazer added that Campbell admitted he’s still working through the logistics of juggling head-coaching and play-calling responsibilities, but made it clear: this is his show now.
The Washington Game Changed Everything
Campbell first took the wheel against the Washington Commanders, and the results were impossible to ignore:
44 points
546 total yards
Eight straight scoring drives
Zero punts
It was the most explosive the Lions’ offense has looked since the early stretch of 2024. Players felt the difference too, especially wide receiver Jameson Williams, who said the offense felt “so much smoother” with Campbell dialing up plays.
Williams had his best performance since Week 2 and openly credited Campbell’s communication and intentionality: “He just told me he’s coming to me… he called plays for me and I just went out there and made plays.”
That’s not subtle. That’s a wide receiver who knows the head coach believes in him, and that chemistry translated instantly on the field.
John Morton Still Playing a Role
This doesn’t mean offensive coordinator John Morton is being iced out. In fact, Glazer reported Campbell praised Morton for helping him transition into the role:
Morton has become the behind-the-scenes stabilizer, helping Campbell structure his week, manage scripting, and keep game plans organized. If Campbell is the energy, Morton is the architect making sure the engine still runs smoothly.
Why Campbell Is Doing This Now
The Lions are 6–3, about to face the defending champion Philadelphia Eagles, and sitting in the thick of an NFC arms race. With injuries piling up and the Lions trying to regain their offensive identity, Campbell is taking control of the thing he trusts most: the tone and rhythm of the offense.
This isn’t just a move, it’s a statement of urgency.
Campbell thinks this team can still make a run, and he’s not waiting around for anything to “fix itself.”
The Bottom Line
Dan Campbell is now officially the Detroit Lions’ play-caller for the rest of 2025. The offense looked electric the first time he took over, and players clearly responded to his voice, his feel, and his trust. Whether this becomes a long-term shift or a one-season spark, one thing is certain:
Campbell’s going down swinging with the ball in his hands, exactly the way Lions fans would expect.
If you ever needed a single story to sum up Dan Campbell, the leader, the energy source, the culture-changer… well, Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard already told it. And honestly? It’s even crazier than you remember.
This one takes us back to 2015, when Sheppard was still playing for the Miami Dolphins, and the vibes were horrific.
The Dolphins Were Checked Out — Literally and Figuratively
“Listen, I love Joe Philbin. But in the Miami Dolphins facility, all the lights were off. We didn’t pay the electric bill all year,” Sheppard said.
That’s not a metaphor. That’s not a joke. That’s an actual NFL team with the energy of a haunted house.
And then, everything flipped, overnight.
Dan Campbell Walks In… and the Entire Culture Shifts
After the Dolphins fired Philbin mid-season, Campbell took over as interim head coach. And according to Sheppard, the change was instant and dramatic.
“And then when Dan took over, he paid the whole six months that were unpaid. Because guys had a fire. You went to practice with a purpose.”
That is pure Dan Campbell energy: Walk into darkness. Turn on every light. Set the building on fire.
But Sheppard didn’t stop there.
“I’ll say it, I was one of those guys — shame on us as players to let the environment or the situation dictate how we put forth to our profession — but it just shows you the quality of a head coach.”
This is the rare kind of honesty players only reserve for coaches they genuinely believe in.
Campbell’s First Message? Violence
(…the football kind.)
Campbell didn’t give speeches or hand out slogans. Day 1, he walked onto the field and said: Let’s fight.
Literally.
Sheppard’s story is legendary:
“The first day he took over in 2015, he told me and Mike Pouncey, ‘Go line up.’ He put a circle around us. That’s illegal to do now I guess in the league, but [he said], ‘Go.’ I’m like, ‘What do you mean go?’ And it was mano y mano.”
Campbell basically recreated the Oklahoma drill with two alpha veterans while the entire team watched. Just a big, physical, borderline primitive declaration:
This is who we are now.
And according to Sheppard:
“It set the standard for how we played the rest of the year, and it’s just carried over here to him getting the ultimate chance at it. And you see kind of the fruits of the labor of Dan Campbell.”
It’s wild how clearly this story foreshadows the Detroit Lions we know today.
The Culture Campbell Built in Miami? It Followed Him to Detroit
Detroit’s locker room? Same DNA.
Sheppard sees it every day as Campbell’s defensive coordinator.
“It’s no different than here. When St. Brown and Penei, when Hutch is out there every day, no days off. ‘Well why are you taking a day off? Because you don’t play more than them, you don’t contribute more than them.’”
That’s not just accountability. That’s empowerment. That’s leadership flowing downward and outward. That’s Dan Campbell turning players into culture carriers.
And Sheppard gives Campbell full credit:
“So, it’s just Dan’s ability to understand who within a coaching staff, who within a locker room, to make sure he has reach on, and to extend that leadership role within them and let them go carry the torch for him is something I’ve definitely learned from him.”
The Bottom Line
This story explains why Detroit has turned into one of the NFL’s most respected cultures, fast.
Dan Campbell didn’t just flip the lights on in Miami. He lit a fire in a dead locker room and carried that same spark to Detroit.
And now? The Lions don’t just play football. They practice with purpose. They work with purpose. They believe with purpose.
Just like they did the moment Campbell walked into that dark Miami facility and said, Let’s go.
If you want a “why” behind Detroit’s rise, Kelvin Sheppard just gave it to you.
Every Detroit Lions fan knows the routine: the game ends, and after shaking hands with the opposing coach, head coach Dan Campbell heads to the podium for his post-game presser. As soon as he begins talking, social media immediately explodes with quotes, reactions, and micro-analysis. But one longtime Detroit beat writer isn’t part of that scene anymore, and he’s perfectly fine with it.
In a recentMailbag entry for Detroit Football Network, veteran reporter Justin Rogers pulled back the curtain on why you won’t see him sitting shoulder-to-shoulder in Campbell’s postgame press conferences anymore.
And honestly? He’s saying what I’ve been preaching for about a decade.
Why Justin Rogers Skips the Podium
Rogers was asked a pretty straightforward question:
“Is there an official protocol on the types of questions allowed to be asked in the postgame press conference?”
His answer couldn’t have been clearer:
“No, there are no restrictions. I’m not aware of the criticisms that might be out there, but I started skipping postgame press conferences in favor of going into the locker room after launching the Detroit Football Network.”
And then he explained why:
“I miss not being able to ask the questions I have for Campbell, but there’s more value in trying to mine original content and quotes from the locker room than a podium session that streams on YouTube.”
That right there is the entire philosophy.
Skip the stuff everyone else gets. Go find the stuff nobody else has.
This Is EXACTLY What I’ve Been Saying
Rogers is spot-on, and it’s the same stance I’ve been yelling into the Lions-media void for a decade.
Even though Detroit Sports Nation isn’t credentialed (we haven’t requested credentials), I’ve always said that if we did get access, we wouldn’t waste our time sitting in a conference room listening to quotes that fans can watch live, in full, on YouTube.
Press conferences are valuable, sure. But they’re not exclusive.
Every fan sees them. Every outlet recycles the same lines. Every headline looks the same.
If you get inside that building, you should be doing what Justin is doing:
Talking to players individually. Finding moments nobody else saw. Getting unique, personal insight. Mining the raw emotion that only exists in the locker room.
That’s where the real stories live.
Rogers understands that. And I love it.
Why This Approach Matters
When journalists shuffle into the press room after a game, the dynamic is the same every week:
Campbell takes the podium. He praises effort. He mentions execution. He answers five or six broad questions. He leaves.
It’s short. It’s safe. It’s public.
And most weeks, it’s pretty much impossible to get anything unique out of it.
Meanwhile, in the locker room?
That’s where the truth usually spills out. That’s where you hear how Amon-Ra St. Brown really felt after a big moment, or what Jared Goff saw on a critical play, or what a rookie learned from a mistake.
That’s where the emotional temperature of the team actually lives.
You can’t recreate that from a podium feed on YouTube.
Bottom Line: Justin Rogers Gets It
His decision isn’t an avoidance of Dan Campbell; it’s a commitment to better storytelling.
He’s choosing originality over redundancy. Depth over convenience. Access over optics.
And if Detroit Sports Nation ever grabs credentials, that’ll be our move too. No sitting in a room waiting for quotes that fans already heard. No churning out recycled content.
Straight to the locker room. Straight to the players. Straight to the stories that actually matter.
