Detroit Lions fourth-year head coach Dan Campbell finished second in the NFL's Coach of the Year voting, with Minnesota Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell winning the award.
Campbell led the Lions to a 15-2 record, their second-straight NFC North title and the No. 1 seed in the postseason in 2024. Detroit went unbeaten in the division, sweeping its rivals including a dominant win over the Minnesota Vikings to clinch the division in Week 18.
The Lions were well-represented at the NFL Honors ceremony in New Orleans Thursday, as quarterback Jared Goff and offensive coordinator Ben Johnson were also finalists for awards. Johnson was named NFL Assistant Coach of the Year.
Campbell's authenticity has made him one of the best leaders in the league, and his style clearly resonates with his players.
“What’s so great about Dan is, for good or for bad, he’ll tell you, he’ll get something off his chest. It’s anything. It could be something that I did wrong that he doesn’t like,” defensive end Aidan Hutchinson said during a recent appearance on the Pat McAfee Show. “He’ll be like, ‘Hutch, that kind of pisses me off. But I’ve got to get this off my chest.’ But he’ll say it, (wipes hands), done and we’ll move on. He’s very unique in that way, where I feel like you’re always getting the real Dan Campbell.”
The team set the franchise record for wins in a season, along with countless other franchise-best marks, despite dealing with a wave of injuries that resulted in double-digit players on injured reserve. The injuries and other struggles caught up to the Lions in their Divisional Round loss to Washington.
O'Connell and the Vikings finished 14-3, their performance headlined by the career resurgence of quarterback Sam Darnold. Wide receiver Justin Jefferson had another exceptional year, and the veteran additions to the defense proved to be superb. Two of their three losses in the regular season were to Detroit.
The Vikings also suffered a first-round exit, as they lost to the Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card Round. Overall, Minnesota was 0-4 against the Rams and Lions combined, and 14-0 against the rest of the league over the course of the regular and postseason.
In four seasons as the Lions' head coach, Campbell holds a 39-28-1 record with a 2-2 mark in the postseason. He and general manager Brad Holmes signed contract extensions that keep them with the team through the 2027 season prior to the 2024 campaign.
