Detroit Lions Podcast: Dan Campbell's F, OC Reset

Campbell's Grade and What Comes Next

Dan Campbell graded himself with an F. The Detroit Lions missed the NFL postseason. His end-of-year session landed early and it stung. He was blunt about accountability. He is the decision maker. The Detroit Lions Podcast drilled into what that means for the staff and the offense.

Campbell would not detail what he wants to move away from. "I don't want to get into that right now," he said. He added that he needs a few days to think and "deep dive some areas" before making decisions. That restraint matters after a frustrating finish.

Midseason Play Calling, Game Management, and Risk

Campbell took over offensive play calling midseason. That is a different world than starting a season as the play caller. Delegation structures and weekly prep rhythms change. The offense often looked more coherent after the switch. The plans made more sense. Not always, but often.

Some choices still need a governor. There were moments to take points. There were moments to dial back the impulse for gadget plays. One example loomed large: a trick look with David Montgomery trying to throw to Jared Goff on third and short in a must-win spot. The line between aggression and recklessness is thin. Closing that gap is part of the offseason brief.

Staff Decisions, OC Path, and Line Lessons

One conclusion was clear: bringing John Morton back as offensive coordinator cannot happen. If there is a way to soften that blow, a reassignment to tight ends was floated, but he is now at Iowa State after a one-and-done. Either way, the OC chair must be reset.

Internal promotions seem unlikely. The staff did not make an in-season adjustment with Hank Fraley, Scottie Montgomery, Mark Brunell, or David Shaw to lighten Campbell's duties. If that was the plan, it would have happened to stabilize the offense and the sideline. The dual role of head coach and in-game play caller proved untenable over time. That reality fueled Campbell's harsh self-grade.

The run game also drew scrutiny. Fraley remains a strong offensive line coach. As run game coordinator, though, this was not his best year. Too many assignments demanded blocks certain players could not physically execute. That is a coordination issue as much as a player issue. Some of that traces back to Morton. Some of it sits with the broader design. None of it means rash firings. It does mean recalibration.

Campbell referenced lessons tied to Frank Ragnow and how they apply to Taylor Decker. Details were not disclosed, but the implication was thoughtful evaluation, not snap judgments. Decker is expected to speak with Brad Holmes soon. The message across Allen Park is consistent: think it through, fix the structure, and return with a cleaner plan for the next NFL season.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kly7GrUmERU #detroitlions #lions #detroitlionspodcast #dancampbell #nflpostseason #offensiveplaycalling #johnmorton #offensivecoordinatorsearch #hankfraley #scottiemontgomery #markbrunell #davidmontgomerytrickplay #jaredgoff #rungamecoordination #taylordecker #frankragnow #bradholmes

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices