After the Detroit Lions’ disappointing NFC divisional round loss to the Washington Commanders, head coach Dan Campbell received a text from All-Pro wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown at 4 a.m., reflecting the frustration they shared.
The 45-31 defeat, after the Lions secured the No. 1 seed in the NFC for the first time in franchise history, continued to haunt the team. Campbell acknowledged the sting of the loss, especially knowing how much it affected the players.
“I know the guys, [the loss] eats away at them,” Campbell said Monday. “I know the right guys — they’re our guys for a reason, and that’s what will always give me hope and let me know we’re only going to be better. We’re going to come back stronger, we’re going to learn from this, and it’s just more fuel on the fire, is what it is.”
Despite the heartache of the early playoff exit, Campbell remains confident about the future, especially with the core of the team intact. When asked if he believes the Lions’ Super Bowl window is still open, he responded with an emphatic “Absolutely.”
Campbell continued, emphasizing the importance of the culture and identity the team has built. “You want to know you’ve got your culture, you’ve got your identity, and you’ve got players that fit into that, and we’ve got that,” Campbell said. “We’ve got players in every pivotal position you can ask for to have success and those guys are made the right way, so, absolutely, our window is open.”
As the team prepares for the offseason, the Detroit Lions face the potential loss of both their coordinators. Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is finalizing a deal to become the new head coach of the Chicago Bears, and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn is set to interview for a second time with the New York Jets for their head coaching vacancy.
Though these departures would be a blow, Campbell is determined to keep the team on track. “It’s my job to replenish and find the next man up,” he said. “We’re not going to allow that to happen. Does it hurt to lose those guys? Absolutely. They’ve been a part of what we’ve been here. They’ve been here for four years and they’re one of the major reasons why we’ve been able to get to where we’ve been.”
Campbell expressed his gratitude for the contributions of Johnson and Glenn, but emphasized that the team must move forward. “We came out of the dump and got to where we’re at, so I will forever be grateful for those guys, and our team will,” he said. “And is it a loss? Absolutely, it’d be a loss, but yet we move forward. This train rolls on and I’ll find the next best guys for us.”
Running back Jahmyr Gibbs, who believes this Lions team is better than the 2023 squad that reached the NFC Championship Game, echoed Campbell’s sentiments. “We had these goals. … We met two of those goals this year and in a sense, went above and beyond what we were a year ago, but yet, we didn’t get any further and man, that’s disappointing. But it also eats at me. That drives me. That motivates me.”
For Dan Campbell and the Detroit Lions, the disappointment of this playoff run is not the end but rather the fuel for their pursuit of a championship. The team remains focused on growth and building on their progress as they look ahead to next season with renewed motivation.