Head coach Dan Campbell continues to get the short end of the stick in the NFC North, and the NFC generally, in head coach rankings. A Super Bowl appearance would probably fix that immediately, but for now, he's simply not seen in the same light as a few other championship-caliber coaches who have met that moment and won big.
Bleacher Report's latest head coach power ranking has Campbell barely making their top-10, with Nick Sirianni, Mike Macdonald, Kyle Shanahan, and Sean McVay all (understandably) beating him out from the NFC. A few surprises, like Jim Harbaugh and Mike Vrabel, were also listed ahead of Campbell, who was ninth on B/R's list.
Gary Davenport wrote of Campbell:
"The first season was rocky, and Campbell hasn't had the postseason success of some of the other names on this list. But the 50-year-old is 52-43-1 as Lions head coach, and it cannot be denied that he has completely changed the culture in Detroit. No one takes the Lions lightly anymore."
Campbell can get a leg up on HC competition in 2026
There's no denying that Sirianni, Macdonald, and McVay should be above Campbell here. All three head coaches have led their teams to the Super Bowl, some multiple times, and have won on the biggest stage. Campbell has yet to lead the Lions to the promised land, but this year could be one of his best opportunities to do so.
The McVay-led Los Angeles Rams present the biggest challenge to the Lions' Super Bowl road. After acquiring Myles Garrett via a blockbuster trade, they look poised to overtake the Seattle Seahawks as favorites to leave the NFC as the Super Bowl-representing team. It's hard to imagine a world where almost any offensive line can contain Garrett and Byron Young.
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If Campbell can overcome both teams, then he'd completely solidify himself as not only the best story in football, but potentially the best head coach. Taking down two superpowers in the NFC to get the Lions in the Super Bowl in the franchise's history would immediately enshrine Campbell in at least the top-5. A Super Bowl win makes him the top HC, period.
Of course, Campbell and the Lions were just two quarters away in 2023 from him being treated a lot differently in these conversations. Then, 2024 presented the ultimate challenge as injuries completely ravaged their defense. 2025 was a wash.
2026 is the bounceback opportunity for Campbell to remind analysts that Detroit is still a force in the conference, even against the Rams and Seahawks. And, he has the chance to prove that the reason they're still a force is thanks to his leadership and coaching.
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