After days of speculation about Mike McDaniel’s fit as the offensive coordinator, the Detroit Lions went in a direction nobody expected by hiring Drew Petzing instead. The move has been met with mixed reviews. Some claim he could be the key to taking the Lions’ offense to the next level. Others see him as a disappointing hire doomed to follow in John Morton’s path.
But one thing is abundantly clear: Petzing’s offense with the Arizona Cardinals took a major step back in 2025.
While the regression can partially be attributed to poor injury luck, Petzing’s inability to field a functional offense last season is worth paying attention to for Lions fans.
Drew Petzing’s 2025 regression should worry Lions fans
After the 2024 season, Petzing was seen as one of the fastest-rising offensive minds in football. He put together a system that almost carried the Cardinals to an unexpected playoff appearance. He quickly gained respect around the league, even earning an interview for the Chicago Bears’ head coaching job in 2025.
But things fell apart for Petzing this season. His once-dominant rushing attack quickly became one of the worst in the NFL. The Cardinals averaged just 93.1 rushing yards per game, ranking second-to-last in the league. They even ranked in the bottom half of the NFL in EPA per pass. The Cardinals finished the season at 3-14, leading to the coaching staff getting fired.
READ MORE: Isaac TeSlaa naturally stands out as Lions' fantasy breakout candidate for 2026
Petzing was without Kyler Murray for the majority of the season, but the quarterback’s absence wasn’t the only reason for the dip in production. Former Cardinals offensive line coach Klayton Adams left to become the offensive coordinator of the Dallas Cowboys in 2025, and Arizona’s offense missed him badly. Meanwhile, the Cowboys produced a top-ten rushing game.
With his top assistant gone, Petzing’s offensive system couldn’t stand on its own. His offensive line gave up more pressures, looked lost in the running game, and failed to overpower defenses as they had in previous years. The lack of talent on the Cardinals’ offense was suddenly glaringly obvious.
Luckily, he’ll have Hank Fraley, Detroit’s offensive line coach and run game coordinator, to help out. If Fraley can fill the role that Adams carried for Petzing, the Lions’ offense might thrive in 2026. The major step up in offensive talent should help make his scheme look a bit better, too. But the new offensive coordinator’s final season in Arizona warrants some major concern from fans in Detroit.