Getty Dan Campbell on the sidelines against Dallas in 2022.
The Detroit Lions have stumbled through the 2022 season thus far, and with some of the frustration has come questions about the potential future of Dan Campbell.
While many believe that Campbell should be on the hot seat for how the team has performed, others aren’t completely sure it’s the best idea for the franchise to be moving on from a coach that was just hired and has more to do.
A take on this matter was recently provided from The Draft Network and writer Alonso Cervera-Pizana. It’s clear that Cervera-Pizana is not a fan of the idea that Campbell should be fired, and instead thinks he needs more time with his roster.
In a piece at the site, the writer lays out his explanation of why Campbell deserves more time with the Lions. As is said, the Lions are hanging tough despite some talent gaps as well as injuries, and hitting abort on the rebuild now would be a major mistake.
“Campbell and Holmes were brought together to see through a multiyear rebuilding operation. This is only year two of said operation, but the team has a clear path forward. The Lions have arguably the cushiest infrastructure in the NFL to drop a young quarterback into, armed with elite, cost-controlled offensive weapons and linemen. Detroit must also rebuild its defense from the ground up, where they have few building blocks (Aidan Hutchinson, Jeff Okudah, and not much else) as of now,” Cervera-Pizana wrote.
Additionally, Cervera-Pizana said that it would be an unfair move to fire Campbell before allowing him a chance to see the rebuild come together in Detroit.
“To dismiss Campbell before giving him a chance to succeed by seeing the plan through would be unfair. He has shown solid head coaching qualities and has developed a strong staff, led by offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. Campbell deserves a chance to see the rebuild’s full vision through at least next season,” he wrote.
Detroit may indeed spend more in free agency, be able to add a dynamic young quarterback with a top pick and also make more inroads within the NFL draft. As the years go by, the roster may improve a lot for the team, which will help Campbell be a better coach.
Firing Campbell would no doubt be a knee-jerk reaction to a rough season, and it doesn’t seem as if the Lions will be heading in that direction when all is said and done.
Campbell’s Career With Lions
Though the record has yet to match some of the hype, the Lions were one of the toughest teams in the league during the 2021 season, even if it did not translate into immediate wins.
Detroit was in nearly every game that was played. They managed to do this in spite of multiple players being lost due to injury as well as illness outbreaks late in the season. With this in mind, it seems a miracle that the Lions beat Minnesota and Arizona, a pair of teams that were in playoff race as well as tying Pittsburgh, a team that ended up in the AFC postseason. In the end, it was an obvious testament to the toughness Campbell preached about on his first day.
Offensively and defensively, there is still much to work out with the roster in terms of improvements and depth in the years ahead, but Campbell has been alright overall. He is an aggressive coach on fourth-down, and looks to be an innovator in terms of decision making in those moments. Campbell also rolled the dice appropriately with a multitude of fake punts and onside kicks. When he took over play calling, the offense seemed to improve in a tangible way, especially with Ben Johnson.
Overall, 2021 was a solid start for Campbell as it relates to laying a foundation. At 1-5, it’s easy to say that foundation hasn’t been quick to develop in 2022, but it’s more than possible the Lions could still finish the season with a stronger record and more reason for optimism.
Campbell Not Likely to Be on Hot Seat
Even if the Lions bottom out this season, it doesn’t seem very likely that Campbell will be on the hot seat or moving on. The reason? He’s got the faith of ownership, and essentially just started the job.
For better or worse, Lions owner Sheila Ford has thrown her support behind Campbell as well as general manager Brad Holmes. Speaking to the media in impromptu fashion on October 26, Ford explained that she has faith within what the Detroit brass are doing, and she is going to remain committed to the team’s plan for their rebuild.
Add it all up, and it’s not likely that Campbell will be going anywhere. He will likely have to take a look at evaluating his coordinators and position coaches at the end of the season, especially Aaron Glenn and Aubrey Pleasant. Players may also end up taking the fall in terms of the struggle on the field.
Campbell, however, deserves more time to prove he can be a solid NFL coach. The Lions seem inclined to give him that time, and as many would say, that feels like the right idea right now.