The Detroit Lions are officially in the offseason, as of January 4, 2026, and head coach Dan Campbell, general manager Brad Holmes and the rest of the personnel are on the hunt to put together a roster that gels better than this year’s did.
The Detroit Lions wrapped up their 2025-26 season with a 9-8 record and at the very last spot in the NFC North, according to NFL research. That’s a far cry from last season, when they closed out their run at the top spot in not only the NFC North but the entire NFC, but, of course, it didn’t matter, because the Lions fell out of the playoffs their first game in.
But, that’s all in the past, and coming off the team’s 19-16 win over the Chicago Bears on Sunday, the future is looking better than it did a few weeks ago. Now, the Lions are being told to take a serious look at hiring a just-fired NFL coach and bring him to Detroit.
Detroit Lions’ Coaching Staff for 2026-27
The Detroit Lions had offensive coordinator John Morton for the 2025-26 season, but considering that Campbell took play-calling duties away from him, it make sense that the Lions have moved on.
Now, the Lions are being urged to hire a coach who was just fired: former Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski.
Stefanski was hired by the Browns in January of 2020. He helped lead the team to two playoff berths and won Coach of the Year in both 2020 and 2023. Now, he’s single and ready to mingle, at least from a football coaching perspective.
Brad Berreman of SideLion Report calls Stefanski an “ideal” candidate for offensive coordinator, in a Monday, January 5 piece for the outlet. In the feature, Berreman notes that it’s “possible Stefanski, even if he has an option or two, will not want to go right to being a head coach somewhere else after his experience in Cleveland. That would theoretically push him toward considering offers to be an offensive coordinator somewhere, and the Lions will have an opening when whatever move that’s made with Morton is made official.”
It’s worth mentioning that the coach had a 45-56 record over his time with the Browns, and while that isn’t great, it was very difficult for him to succeed over the last two seasons, after that wild trade for Deshaun Watson and the team’s quarterback situation.
Berreman adds that, “As Campbell considers offensive coordinator candidates he’d like to interview, which he has probably been doing for weeks, Stefanski should be high on the list as he’s now officially available.”
Another Candidate for the Detroit Lions
Nick Halden of Detroit Jock City has a different person in mind for the position. In a Tuesday, January 6 feature, he picks Avieon Terrell, the younger brother of Atlanta Falcons corner A.J. Terrell. In the piece, he says Terrell “would be the perfect fit for Detroit.”
“If the corner is still on the board when Detroit’s number is called, it is difficult to find a reasonable argument against the Lions improving a secondary that continues to be ravaged by injuries,” Halden states. “While the Lions have Terrion Arnold and D.J. Reed both under contract, the lack of healthy options each of the past two seasons has to change the perspective on what positions the Lions are willing to target.”
Lions Could Bring Fired NFL Coach to Detroit