When Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell came to the Detroit Lions in early 2021, everyone knew the task that was in front of them. The ashes of the Matt Patricia/Bob Quinn era would not be totally cleaned up in one offseason, and a season-and-half into their tenure the team had a record of 4-19-1.
As we know, things turned around from there. The Lions won eight of their last 10 games in 2022 to finish that season 9-8. Then they went 12-5 and made it to the NFC Championship Game in 2023, then they went 15-2 and earned the No. 1 seed in the NFC postseason in 2024.
But with success comes expectations, and the Lions fell far short last season. In the context of team history a fourth straight season above .500 is just fine, but 9-8 and a last place finish in the NFC North was not what anyone attached to what is ostensibly one of the most talented teams in the league had in mind.
Next season, the Lions will enjoy the benefit of a last-place schedule for the first time since 2022.
Detroit analyst invites Lions' outlook that once seemed implausible
On a recent episode of Woodward Sports' "The Braylon Edwards Show w/Shep", as part of a conversation focused on Campbell, co-host Matt Shepard invited the idea that there is more pressure on the Lions' head coach then there has been lately.
"Most people feel like this team underachieved a year ago", Shepard said. "And now, perhaps for the first time, he and his general manager are being linked together as possible hot seat performers. If not this year, the following year. On top of that, there was a lot made of his faux paus in hiring the wrong offensive coordinator for the second time as a head coach."
There's no denying that Campbell needs to have gotten the hire of Drew Petzing as the Lions' offensive coordinator right, or the conversation about him will be firmly altered.
However, Edwards doesn't buy into there being any added pressure on Campbell in 2026.
"I'm not gonna buy into that pressure, when one, you did it to yourself, by last year not paying as much attention as you should have", Edwards said. That was on you, with the picks you made, the offensive coordinator, the hires that you made.....More pressure, not if you go into that locker room."
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Since the conversation between Edwards and Shepard was focused on Campbell at that point in the episode, any idea of there being more pressure on Holmes was simply not addressed. The former player's perspective Edwards offered simply called for Campbell to own his part of last year's underachievement in the locker room, which he will presumably easily do.
As a sign of a shift in his approach, Campbell, who once professed how much he valued them over playing starters in preseason games, recently said joint practices have become "counterproductive."
Meanwhile Holmes continues to have the same approach to free agency and player acquisition in general, with a new buzzphrase for why he can't do things--"financial constraints."
Shepard is not out in left field to suggest there's extra pressure on Campbell now. But if there are the same-old issues with production from the lower tiers of talent on the roster next season, and expectations again aren't met, the man who's name is front and center when it comes to the construction of said roster should feel some extra heat on his seat.