The Detroit Lions are only three years removed from being one of the NFL's disasters, and have still won two NFC North championships, two playoff games and appeared in one NFC title game.
Most of the credit for this unexpected turnaround goes to Dan Campbell, who has changed the culture in Detroit rapidly. Before Campbell's arrival, the Lions weren't expected to be a contender for anything much less a current Super Bowl favorite.
In spite of this, some could be getting restless after a 15-2 season went down in flames in the divisional round. Does the playoff failure put Campbell on a hot seat entering this season? According to Bleacher Report's Moe Moton, the answer is partially yes.
Moton put Campbell in the "room temperature seat" category in his hot seat rankings before the draft along with the likes of Sean McDermott, Todd Bowles and DeMeco Ryans, saying that the stakes will only get higher for Detroit's coach moving forward.
"Last offseason, the Lions signed Campbell to an extension that keeps him under contract through the 2027 season. He's safe in Detroit for now, but his team went one-and-done in the playoffs as the NFC's No. 1 seed last year. With more wins come higher expectations."
Reality is, Campbell would likely need multiple ugly playoff collapses to get close to a room temperature seat. Campbell has become beloved in Detroit, leading the Lions with catch phrases like "grit" that have evolved into the identity of the franchise. Even if the Lions struggle to meet expectations in the next few seasons, Campbell is unlikely to shoulder the heaviest blame himself.
Dan Campbell isn't close to being on any type of hot seat with the Detroit Lions
Stories like this are great for offseason debate amongst fans, but the reality is, there's no reason Campbell should be included on a warm portion of Moton's list heading into the 2025 season. His seat should be considered what some call freezing cold.
Realistically, the Lions remain ahead of schedule on their rebuild, and with Brad Holmes' help, the franchise has molded itself into a current and future contender based on their ability to be smart in free agency and manage the draft. After the 3-13-1 start to Campbell's tenure in Detroit during the 2021 season, fans would likely have taken a pair of division titles, two playoff wins, and an NFC title appearance in subsequent seasons.
More than that, the present looks bright for the Lions, too. After the playoff disappointment, Campbell will be hungry to get the Lions back to the top. The roster remains in its prime and shouldn't be set for a downturn. The biggest question to answer is whether the Lions can replace both of their coordinators and multiple position coaches on the fly.
The Lions are on track for another solid season, and if they manage more playoff success, it will keep Campbell far away from any sort of hot seat trouble in the future. It's a spot he should already technically enjoy right now.
