The Detroit Lions were one of the most surprising teams in the NFL during the 2023 season.
While they had shown some promise in 2022, the Lions still had a lot of hurdles to overcome if they wanted to be a playoff team in 2023.
Not only did they make the playoffs last year, but they made it to the NFC Championship, an impressive feat for this organization.
The Lions never won the NFC North before last year, an example of how much they had struggled for several years.
Several key factors led to the Lions putting together this turnaround season, but head coach Dan Campbell seems to be one of the main reasons for their success.
Former Lions legend Calvin Johnson recently appeared on Jim Rome’s show, where he talked about what Campbell means to this team.
“Yeah, he’s a hard-nosed coach, but he’s able to love on those guys too,” Johnson said.
NFL Hall of Famer @calvinjohnsonjr on Dan Campbell’s impact on the Lions. pic.twitter.com/wI0D7gYTxt
— Jim Rome (@jimrome) May 29, 2024
Johnson’s comments are a sign that Campbell has gained the respect of the locker room, something that goes a long way in the NFL.
If players respect their head coach, good things can happen.
Campbell has been said to have some quirky coaching methods and ideologies, but now that the Lions are winning, most of the criticism of Campbell has faded away.
He is the unquestioned leader of this team moving forward, making the Lions a playoff threat for the foreseeable future.
It will be interesting to see how well the Lions play in 2024, and if they can replicate another run to the NFC Championship.
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