The Detroit Lions have plenty of firepower in the offense, but talent alone doesn’t guarantee dominance and success, as proved last year. Under former offensive coordinator John Morton, the franchise struggled with consistency, missing the playoffs. As a result, Morton was stripped of his duties mid-season.
Now, Drew Petzing is the new OC of the franchise, and he has built a strong relationship with the Lions players, quickly getting on the same page offensively before the season opener against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday. The coach’s strong rapport with the players includes the running back Jahmyr Gibbs, who could be one of his dynamic weapons. On that note, the three-time Pro Bowler was asked about the new Lions OC’s offensive approach ahead of the new season.
“He makes the run game and the pass game look the same,” Gibbs said yesterday, per the journalist Will Burchfield. “I think that will help us a lot, in whatever we want to do. He puts us in a lot of spots to make plays and win. He’s just smart. He loves ball, he loves the players.”
His previous experience as the offensive coordinator is exactly why the Lions fans should feel good about the offense’s performance in the new season.
Drew Petzing Brings A Wealth of Experience To The Lions
Drew Petzing has a decade-long coaching career in the NFL, previously spending time with the Lions’ divisional rival Minnesota Vikings, Cleveland Browns, and Arizona Cardinals. He joined the Cardinals in 2023, serving as the offensive coordinator. With his new role in Detroit, he is entering his fourth year as OC, making him a seasoned candidate for the role.
Drew Petzing is building the foundation for an offensive scheme built on downhill power and deep play actions. As Gibbs highlighted, the system is designed to make the defenders second-guess themselves because the running and passing games look identical. With the same formation and blocking movements early in the play, it leaves defenders in doubt, making it easier for the RBs to make a run or the quarterbacks to throw accurate passes.
In addition, the new Lions OC doesn’t build his offense around short throws. Instead, he likes his quarterback to attack deeper. This means expect Jared Goff to get more time in the pocket and find deeper targets, which could be good news for Sam LaPorta, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Jameson Williams.
While Goff is expected to flourish under Petzing’s system, the duo already have a great relationship off the gridiron.
Jared Goff and Drew Petzing Are Building A Strong Relationship
Jared Goff has played under different OCs since arriving in the Motor City. However, after the arrival of Drew Petzing, they have built chemistry, and their relationship has grown stronger, according to the head coach, Dan Campbell.
“Drew brings clarity in some areas,” Campbell said recently. Goff has these things that he sees, that he likes, that we’re capable of doing with what we have…Drew is open to those, and we’ve used some of those.”
“Drew brings clarity in some areas. …Goff has these things that he sees, that he likes, that we’re capable of doing with what we have. …Drew is open to those, and we’ve used some of those.”
(h/t @colton_pouncy)
With Goff poised to have another incredible season in 2026, it remains to be seen whether the duo clicks together and the signal-caller can unlock another gear in his game with so many elite options around him.
Jahmyr Gibbs Drops Telling Hint About Drew Petzing’s Lions Offense in 2026