At the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis on Tuesday, Lions head coach Dan Campbell revealed Detroit’s “secret” weapon that could spark a Super Bowl run: coaching.
Campbell spoke glowingly about the talent and cohesiveness of his coaching staff and how it’s translated into a successful team. He cited his growing relationship with rising star offensive coordinator Ben Johnson as evidence.
“Ben knows exactly what I’m thinking,” Campbell told reporters. “We’re to the [point] now where he knows exactly what I want, how I think, just like I know how he thinks.”
Johnson was courted by several teams for a head coaching position this offseason but turned them down to sign with Detroit for a pay raise.
Campbell hinted that his coaching staff has become one of his Super Bowl-contending team’s biggest strengths. He praised the addition of new defensive line coach Terrell Williams, whom he called “the best defensive line coach in the league.”
Campbell believes he has the right mix of continuity and new faces to lead a Super Bowl run this season. He predicted such a run after the season.
“You’re just so much more efficient, so much better,” he said of his coaching staff. “And that’s the beauty of the continuity of the staff.”
The Lions have the 29th selection in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft on April 25 and two picks in the third round.
In January, Detroit reached the NFC Championship Game, where it lost to San Francisco. Based on Campbell’s comments, 2024 is a Super Bowl-or-bust season for the Lions.