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Dan Campbell will speak directly Detroit Lions – good or bad.
This year hasn't been as good for the Lions as many thought it would be, and during the post-season press conference Campbell was asked how he viewed the 2025 campaign.
For the team that was Super Bowl Campbell named him the NFC's preseason favorite, as he did for his team.
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Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell addresses the media following an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Dwayne Burleson)
“Not good enough. We didn't hit, we didn't hit it,” he said, according to Yahoo Sports. “So it's not good. I’d give myself a damn A.”
The Lions were able to get over .500 with a win in Week 18 against the Lions. Chicago Bears19-16. But Campbell has always been a harsh self-critic, as he is with his team, so it's no surprise that he rates himself so harshly.
But Campbell knows this is the first time the Lions have missed the playoffs since 2022, and a 9-8 season isn't the standard for the franchise right now.
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The Lions have slowly become one of the most formidable teams in the league, going 15-2 last year and clinching the No. 1 seed in the NFC. However, they certainly fell short of expectations, being upset by rookie Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders at Ford Field in the divisional round.
Two years earlier, the Lions played in the NFC Championship Game against the San Francisco 49ers after going 12–5. They would also have made it to the team's first-ever Super Bowl if not for a second-half collapse in the Bay Area that resulted in the 49ers making a miraculous comeback to earn a spot in the Big Game.
Campbell saw changes to his coaching staff this past offseason, with both of his top coordinators finding head coaching jobs elsewhere.
Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell watches the second half of a game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on September 22, 2024 in Glendale, Arizona. (Matt Kartozian/Imagn Images)
The big one was Ben Johnson, the offensive genius who opened up Jared Goff and company by taking the Bears job in the NFC North. Johnson went from strong ally to bitter rival, and Chicago won the division title in his first year.
Aaron Glenn, the Lions' defensive coordinator under Campbell, was as unlucky as Johnson as his New York Jets lost 3-14. Glenn, however, was not among those fired during Black Monday, as the Jets remain committed to him at least through the start of the 2026 season.
Campbell still can't believe what happened after such a hot start to the season. The Lions were 4-1 at the start of the year but struggled to find consistency after that.
A shocking Christmas Day loss to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 17 ended their playoff hopes.
“It’s hard to believe this is it,” Campbell said. “It will be hard to swallow watching these teams in the playoffs. But I think you should watch them. You have to force yourself to do it because it’s a desire to be there, to be a part of it.”
Head Coach Dan Campbell watches the game against the Cleveland Browns at Ford Field on September 28, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan. (Mike Mulholland/Getty Images)
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There's no doubt Campbell will continue to trust his process and his team to get the job done, but he'll have to wait until September to get another chance to score in the playoffs.
Campbell just completed his fifth season as Lions head coach. He owns a record of 53-43-1 in 97 games.
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