Getty Dan Campbell runs off the field after a 2021 game against Philadelphia.
The Detroit Lions have one of the worst records in the entire NFL this season, but looking beyond that, it’s easy to see how the team is on the right track for the future.
Dan Campbell has gotten rave reviews from his players, the fans and the media alike for his work with the team, and as a result, it isn’t a shock to hear that a hot seat for the coach doesn’t actually exist whatsoever as the 2021-22 season pushes to a close.
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In recent weeks, folks have begun to ponder the future of Campbell, and as most understand, there isn’t much to ponder at all. Campbell is a virtual slam-dunk to return to the Lions in 2022, and it’s because of some of the goodwill he has built up within the fanbase and within the front office as well.
More of that was proven again in a piece by NFL.com reporter and NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport. In the piece, Rapoport delves into the future of all the coaches in the league that could be on the hot seat, and Campbell comes up. For Detroit’s coach, however, the news is very good.
As Rapoport explains in the piece, Campbell along with New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh will both be safe this offseason because there have been promising signs for both this year, and each is a coach their team wants to build around for the future. Team sources of Rapoport thus confirmed that Campbell will not be on the move this offseason.
For the Lions, this clarity is huge. The team can now go about building around Campbell and trying to ensure the team has the right kind of offseason to make sure the coach is well-supported in the future.
Campbell Galvanized Lions, Fanbase With Vikings Moment in 2021
It isn’t hard for folks who follow the Lions to understand why Campbell has been such a stud, but to those on the outside, it could be. A coach who is 2-13-1 isn’t someone who generates a ton of respect usually, but Campbell has proven to be different in a big way. Perhaps his best moment came this season after the Lions had lost to Minnesota narrowly on the road. The coach poured his heart and soul out after the game:
“When you see your players give all that they have and you lose that way, it’s tough. You know, you don’t want that for them. But we’ll be better for it,” Campbell said at the time. “There again, credit Minnesota but we made the one mistake that cost us. Ultimately, we didn’t do enough to win, but I was proud of ’em and I love the fight them have in them. And I love the grit.”
Clearly, that day was the moment the Lions and their fans knew they had a special coach. Down the stretch, the Lions found a way to tough out a few closer wins and get over the hump, which is a testament to Campbell and his approach with the team. For this reason, it makes sense he’s not going anywhere.
Campbell Was Never on Hot Seat Despite Losses
Typically, coaches that are on a warm seat are seeing their team limp to the finish line of a season. Quite exactly the opposite is true with the Lions. The team has been charging to the finish line this year and Campbell has been a big reason why the Lions have played as well as they have. The team’s offense has sparked a turnaround after Campbell took over much of the play calling duties, with Jared Goff throwing for 898 yards and 9 touchdowns in the last four weeks. More than that, the players are fighting for Campbell without quitting on the field, and have spoken about what a solid locker room culture the team has. That’s distinctly different than previous years on the field and off in Detroit.
With two wins and a tie over the second half of the season and a roster that has stuck together and kept fighting, it isn’t surprising to see the Lions not in a rush to rid themselves of Campbell.
The coach is going to stay this offseason, and the Lions are going to try and build around him as best they possibly can.
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NFL Insider Provides Definitive Answer About Dan Campbell’s Future