The Chicago Bears made a notable move on Super Bowl Sunday, promoting Press Taylor to offensive coordinator — and it turns out that decision is quietly great news for theDetroit Lions.
Taylor, 38, had been serving as Chicago’s passing game coordinator during the Bears’ first season under head coach Ben Johnson. He steps into the OC role vacated by Declan Doyle, who recently left to become the Baltimore Ravens’ offensive coordinator.
From a Detroit perspective, this hire closes the door on a lingering concern.
Why Lions Fans Can Exhale
Given Johnson’s strong ties to Detroit, there was real speculation that the Bears might look to poach a member of the Lions’ offensive staff to fill the vacancy. Two names stood out as logical fits:
Hank Fraley, Detroit’s run game coordinator and offensive line coach
Scottie Montgomery, assistant head coach and wide receivers coach
Either would have made sense based on their familiarity with Johnson’s system and Detroit’s offensive success.
Instead, Chicago kept the hire in-house — a win for Detroit.
Continuity Matters for 2026
For a Lions team aiming to return to the postseason and re-enter Super Bowl contention in 2026, offensive continuity is critical. Detroit’s roster is built around timing, chemistry, and cohesion, and losing a key assistant could have disrupted that momentum.
With Taylor’s promotion, Detroit’s offensive staff remains intact, allowing new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing to move forward without unexpected changes around him.
Bottom Line
Chicago filled its coordinator vacancy without dipping into Detroit’s staff, and that stability matters.
The Lions keep their core offensive coaches, preserve continuity for their star players, and avoid an unnecessary offseason shake-up. Sometimes the best news for one team comes from a move made by a division rival.
When the longtime swing tackle announced his retirement just a couple of weeks ago, it felt like the end of an era. Skipper spent eight seasons in Detroit doing all the dirty work, bouncing between left tackle, right tackle, and even guard when needed, and became one of the most beloved depth players on the roster.
But his Lions story might not be over.
In fact, there’s a very real path for Skipper to return to Detroit in 2026, just not in pads.
A Coaching Door Has Quietly Opened
With the Lions recently promoting Steve Oliver from assistant offensive line coach to tight ends coach, a new opening has quietly emerged on the staff. Detroit now has a vacancy for an assistant offensive line coach, and Skipper checks just about every box you’d want for that role.
This isn’t speculation out of thin air, either.
Skipper made it clear when he retired that coaching was next. He wasted no time backing that up, heading to Dallas the very next day to coach offensive linemen at the East-West Shrine Bowl. That’s not something former players do casually; that’s a sign of intent.
Why Dan Skipper Makes Too Much Sense
If the Lions are looking for someone who:
Knows the system inside and out
Understands Hank Fraley’s coaching style
Has lived the day-to-day grind of Detroit’s offensive line room
Can immediately connect with young players
…Skipper is basically the prototype.
He spent years learning under Hank Fraley, widely regarded as one of the best offensive line coaches in the NFL. Few players on the roster knew Detroit’s blocking schemes better, and even fewer embraced the “next man up” mentality the way Skipper did.
That perspective is invaluable for a young line that continues to develop.
From Locker Room Leader to Position Coach
One of Skipper’s biggest strengths as a player was his presence. He wasn’t just filling snaps — he was mentoring younger linemen, preparing weekly as if he were starting, and setting the tone for what professionalism looks like at the NFL level.
That translates naturally into coaching.
As an assistant offensive line coach, Skipper wouldn’t be asked to reinvent the wheel. He’d be learning, teaching fundamentals, reinforcing technique, and helping players understand why Detroit does things the way it does — something he’s uniquely qualified to explain.
A Full-Circle Moment Waiting to Happen?
The Lions have shown a willingness to bring former players back into the building when the fit is right. Skipper’s transition from player to coach feels less like a gamble and more like a continuation.
Nothing is official. Nothing has been announced.
But if Detroit is serious about building continuity, developing its offensive line pipeline, and rewarding people who embody the culture, Dan Skipper returning as a coach in 2026 feels more inevitable than far-fetched.
Sometimes the best next step is already in the room — you just change the role.
When the Detroit Lions began their search for a new offensive coordinator, the decision wasn’t made in a vacuum. While head coach Dan Campbell ultimately signs off on every hire, one longtime assistant carried significant influence behind the scenes: offensive line coach and run game coordinator Hank Fraley.
The connection between Fraley and new OC Drew Petzing goes back years, and that familiarity played a major role in Detroit’s comfort level with the hire.
The Fraley–Petzing Connection
Fraley and Petzing worked together on the Minnesota Vikings coaching staff from 2014 through 2016, building a shared football language and philosophy that still carries weight today. That history mattered when Detroit began evaluating candidates to take over the offense.
Fraley has been on the Lions staff since 2018 and has become one of the most trusted voices in the building. Last offseason, the organization worked aggressively to keep him from leaving for a coordinator role elsewhere, underscoring just how highly he is valued.
Albert Breer Explains Why Fraley’s Voice Carried Weight
Sports Illustrated NFL insider Albert Breer detailed just how important Fraley’s input was in the process — and why Petzing emerged as such a natural fit.
Here is Breer’s full quote via Lions OnSI:
“Ex-Cardinals OC Drew Petzing arrives in Detroit with a strong link to line coach/running-game coordinator Hank Fraley, who worked with Petzing in Minnesota from 2014 to ’16. The Lions worked hard to keep Fraley from going to Seattle to be a coordinator last year, and so Fraley’s input in their next steps on offense was always going to be important. And as such, his word carried a lot of weight.”
That statement says everything about how this hire came together.
Why Dan Campbell Valued Familiarity
Dan Campbell has always emphasized trust, alignment, and culture fit when building his staff. Fraley’s endorsement of Petzing gave the organization confidence that:
The offensive line philosophy would remain intact
The run game identity would stay physical and aggressive
Communication between the coordinator and the trenches would be seamless
The offensive staff would be unified from Day 1
Rather than chasing an outside splash hire, the Lions leaned into continuity and internal chemistry — trusting one of their most respected assistants to help guide the decision.
What It Means for Detroit’s Offense
Everything in Detroit’s offense begins with the offensive line, and Fraley’s unit is the engine of the entire operation. Bringing in a coordinator he already trusts and understands helps preserve the identity that helped push the Lions into Super Bowl contention.
In short, Drew Petzing wasn’t just Dan Campbell’s choice. He was Hank Fraley’s guy, too.
For most players, a first NFL start is memorable. ForGiovanni Manu, it was life-changing.
The Detroit Lions’ young offensive tackle made his first career start in the team’s 37–24 win over the Bengals, filling in for veteran Taylor Decker. And while the day came with its share of ups and downs, including two sacks, Manu’s honesty, humility, and gratitude showed exactly why he fits this locker room so well.
“When I stepped out there, it was definitely a moment to take in,” Manu said after the game. “What was great was that everyone on the sideline was supporting me. The amount of strength coaches up to coaches that came up to me and said they were super proud of me, it was amazing. I had a long talk with Hank (Fraley) on the side as soon as the anthem broke. He told me not to think, go play, and that I deserve this moment. I definitely teared up a bit just ’cause, you know, my journey, I never thought I would start or be in the NFL. Just where I came from and how far I’ve come, it was definitely a moment to take back.”
Owning the Mistakes
Manu didn’t sugarcoat his debut. He gave up two sacks, and he owned every bit of it.
“Yeah, you know, two sacks, that’s all I’m going to say. There’s a standard in our room and a standard I hold myself to, and that’s just not the standard,” he admitted.
But rather than make excuses, he broke down where he went wrong, and what he’ll fix.
“For the errors I had in the game, the two sacks I gave up, the first one was just, you know, I didn’t hear the kill on the play. And then the second one was just, I was too aggressive on the run sell. But other than that, I think the coaching staff did a good job making practice intense for me. They gave me good looks.”
That last sentence mattered. For Manu, practice felt harder than the game itself, a testament to Dan Campbell’spreparation philosophy.
“The speed, if I’m being honest, wasn’t that much different to me. Practice was more intense than what I faced out there,” he said. “Coach Campbell and them were blasting crowd noise throughout practice the whole time, and that was ten times louder than what this was.”
A Mentor Named Decker
Though Taylor Decker couldn’t play, his influence was everywhere. Manu said the veteran left tackle was his second coach on the sideline all week.
“Oh, he helped a lot,” Manu said. “I have Coach Hank, but Taylor was like a second Hank to me. Anything I needed help with this whole week, I’d go talk to him. Even on the sideline, after every drive, he was right there telling me what I could do better and what I did good at. It’s vital to have someone like that, a veteran guy like him. I’m always appreciative of Deck, and he’s always a mentor to me.”
It’s the kind of mentorship that has become part of the Lions’ DNA, veterans investing in the next generation. And for Manu, that investment is paying off early.
Taking in the Moment
The emotions hit before kickoff.
“Just doing my own warm-up before the game, taking the field by myself, and then doing the national anthem and talking to Hank after, it just hit me,” Manu said. “Just a kid from an island, played in Canada, starting for one of the top teams in the NFL, starting at left tackle, it’s a dream come true.”
He wasn’t exaggerating. Born in Tonga and raised in British Columbia, Manu’s path to the NFL was anything but typical. Now he’s starting for a Super Bowl contender, protecting Jared Goff, and holding his own against NFL-level speed.
Practicing the Campbell Way
Manu credited Detroit’s intense practices for making his debut manageable.
“I also expected it to be like ten times more loud, but it wasn’t,” he said with a grin. “I was able to just lock in. Coach Campbell and them were blasting crowd noise throughout practice the whole time, and that was ten times louder than what this was.”
That preparation paid off from the very first drive.
“You feel like your offense took their crowd out of it pretty early just with the way you opened up that first drive?” “Yeah, for sure,” Manu replied. “Not just that, but the sea of blue I saw in the stadium, it got to a point where as soon as we broke the national anthem, I heard the ‘Jared Goff’ chants. I instantly was like, ‘Okay, this is a home game.’ When we went on offense, I barely even heard the crowd. I don’t even think we went on silent cadence that whole drive.”
The Bottom Line
Gio Manu’s first start wasn’t perfect, but it was powerful. Two sacks, one dream realized, and a glimpse of what the Lions’ next wave of linemen looks like.
He may have been an “island kid” just a few years ago, but now he’s part of Detroit’s foundation, learning from one of the best in Taylor Decker, molded by one of the league’s most intense O-line coaches in Hank Fraley, and protected by a culture that believes in him.
The kid from Canada didn’t just survive his first start. He earned it.
