Many talking heads and former players in the NFL media sphere are projecting big things for the 2025 Detroit Lions, and Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders proudly counts himself among the Dan Campbell supporters.
In an exclusive interview with FanSided, the greatest running back of all time remained extremely bullish on what the Lions can do this season. As long as Campbell is at the helm, Sanders thinks this team can do wonderful things in the postseason.
"You see how he's changed the game in how he almost always goes for it on fourth down," Sanders said. "mentality that he has instilled in his team...you've got to have talent, but you've got to have chemistry. Look at what Jared Goff has done since he's been here. He played with a great Rams team that made it to the Super Bowl, but his best years have come here in Detroit."
Sanders said that the Lions have the best offensive line in football while also hyping up the skill position players that Goff has leaned on throughout his career. Sanders is clearly beaming with pride as his old squad looks like the one who could finally bring a Lombardi Trophy to Detroit.
Lions legend Barry Sanders praises Dan Campbell, Detroit culture
Unlike Goff, Sanders was never afforded the luxury of an elite supporting cast. With Wayne Fontes as his head coach for most of his career and Scott Mitchell standing out as the best quarterback he ever had, Sanders' Lions career was full of sneaking into the postseason, only to be unceremoniously bounced.
These Lions, however, have built a team that can withstand the loss of both star players and coaches. In need of two new coordinators after Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn took head coaching gigs elsewhere, Campbell will get a chance to show just how improved this culture is from past regimes.
The Lions will have to rebuild their offensive line after losing both Kevin Zeitler and Frank Ragnow, but their menagerie of skill position stars and star tackle duo of Penei Sewell and Taylor Decker should help Goff and the offense keep this team firmly in the championship contenders tier.
After spending most of his brilliant career wasting away on bad teams and watching his franchise become the joke of the league after retiring, Sanders has to feel good watching his old Honolulu-clad blue team finally starting to sneak into the elite tier after years of toiling.
