It’s rather obvious that Dan Campbell is proud of what the Detroit Lions accomplished during the 2023 season. But that doesn’t mean there still isn’t work to be done.
Campbell made it clear in an interview with Fox 2’s Dan Miller that the Lions have big goals left to accomplish in 2024.
“To be able to give the city and really everybody something that has not been done in a long time. And we were able to check that box,” Campbell told Miller. “It took every one of us to get that done, and that’s including the fans. This was a special time.
“But we also know that it’s unfinished business. That’s what keeps me from going back too far here and patting ourselves on the backs and all that. Man, we’ve got a hurdle that we need to overcome.”
Campbell’s “unfinished business” mantra matched the reason Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson gave for his return to Detroit.
For the second straight offseason, Johnson had opportunities to become an NFL head coach. But Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown said during his St. Brown Brothers podcast on January 31 that Johnson told him “there’s unfinished business” after the team’s playoff exit this past season.
NFC Championship Loss Fueling Dan Campbell, Lions Offseason
The Lions were 30 minutes away from their first Super Bowl appearance with a 17-point lead. But the San Francisco 49ers scored 27 straight points in the second half and held on to win 34-31.
Detroit’s offense failed to convert two fourth-down opportunities during the collapse. But 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy also averaged 8.6 yards per attempt in the game.
The Lions didn’t defend the pass well during the regular season either, finishing 27th in the league in passing yards allowed. But this offseason, the Lions traded for cornerback Carlton Davis and signed Amik Robertson. They also added edge rusher Marcus Davenport to put more pressure on opposing quarterbacks.
Campbell addressed the NFC championship game in front of reporters on March 26. He suggested his coaching staff has been completely focused on the second half of the game to learn from their mistakes.
“We just watched from the third quarter on and kind of charted a little bit of everything on what went wrong scheme-wise, decision-wise, player-wise,” said Campbell, via The Athletic’s Colton Pouncy.
Dan Campbell said he and his staff skipped the first half of the 49ers game on their rewatch.
“We just watched from the third quarter on and kind of charted a little bit of everything on what went wrong scheme-wise, decision-wise, player-wise.”
Although they lost the game, it was Detroit’s first trip to the NFC championship game since 1992. The Lions also won two playoff games in the same season for the first time since 1957.
‘Unfinished Business’ Becoming Lions 2024 Mantra
Campbell isn’t the first member of the Lions to express that the team has unfinished business.
St. Brown said Johnson uttered the phrase to him days after the NFC championship game loss.
“I’m like, ‘So what’s up with you, you did an interview, like, are you leaving?'” St. Brown said during his podcast in January. “He’s like, ‘You know what, I’m on my way to the facility right now.’ He said he couldn’t sleep last night. He was thinking about it, and he said, ‘There’s unfinished business.’ He wants to stay.”
St. Brown then used the phrase at the Pro Bowl games.
“I’m excited — super excited. I know the whole squad is,” St. Brown said. “I mean we can’t wait. We’ve got some unfinished business.”
According to multiple sports book, the Lions have the fifth-best odds and second-best in the NFC, of winning the 2025 Super Bowl.
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Lions’ Dan Campbell Puts the Rest of the NFL on Notice