The Detroit Lions ended the coveted sweepstakes to be their next offensive coordinator by hiring someone who comes a bit out of left field, as they brought in former Arizona Cardinals OC Drew Petzing despite the fact his team won just three games in the 2025 season.
Despite the record, Petzing's work with Kyler Murray (before his injuries) was apparently exemplary enough to warrant a second chance in Detroit. Petzing also brings with him some indirect anti-Chicago Bears mojo that could serve as even more motivation for him to succeed in Detroit.
Petzing's work in the 2024 campaign was good enough to earn some head coach attention from the Bears, though they would ultimately land on Ben Johnson as the leading man after throwing down a ridiculous amount of cash. Now Petzing is joining one of the Bears' biggest rivals, armed with an equally devastating combination of quarterbacking excellence and a menagerie of talented skill position players.
If the Lions are able to replicate Week 2 next year when Chicago comes to town, hiring Petzing right from under Chicago's noses might make the win taste even sweeter.
Lions' OC Drew Petzing may get revenge on Bears after HC interview
Lions fans should be hoping for a repeat of the 2024 season, as he helped the Cardinals improve from a three-win team to an eight-win squad while Murray put together one of the best seasons of his career. The Petzing apologists will point to a lack of talent explaining the other two iffy years.
With Murray struggling to stay healthy and a lack of a running game, Petzing, who came from Kevin Stefanski's run-heavy Cleveland Browns offense, started to flounder. Was that the fault of Petzing, or were the players not good enough to execute his offense?
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Petzing and the Lions have some familiarity. Petzing and Johnson coached together at Boston College, and Petzing served as one of Johnson's groomsmen at his wedding. Time will tell if the Lions ended up getting the best play-caller at the party in the next few years.
If Petzing hits, the Lions might be able to get a pound of flesh back against a Bears team that had everything go right for them in 2025. If he flounders, Campbell will try to hire his fifth offensive coordinator, which is not a great sign for an offensive-minded coach.