The Detroit Lions have been able to keep their coaching staff largely intact, even though both of their coordinators have interviewed for vacant coaching opportunities.
Head coach Dan Campbell and his staff were recently ranked as the No. 2 coaching staff in the NFL by ESPN.
As NFL analyst Ben Solak explained, "There's not a single thing Campbell doesn't do right. He has been consistently correct on fourth-down and 2-point decisions. Perhaps more importantly, his team is behind him when he makes judgment calls on 50-50 calls, as he had to do in the NFC Championship Game loss last season. That's culture right there."
Campbell was asked, on the final day media could attend and watch a full Lions training camp practice, how he assesses if he is incrementally getting better as a coach.
Detroit's fourth-year head coach expressed finding new and fresh avenues to put the team in situational experiences allows the staff and players to experience as many difficult decisions as possible.
"As many of those as you can fabricate, I think it makes you a much sharper, much more prepared coach," Campbell said. "So, I think it’s that and then just the nature of the way we practice, trying to keep it fresh, trying to challenge these guys, and challenge the coordinators, quite frankly.”
Under the coaching staff, filled with several former NFL players, talented players have been drafted. Most importantly, these players are developed to fit the culture and scheme.
"Culture works in other ways, too. A lot of young players have earned reps and blossomed in Detroit over Campbell's tenure," Solak explained. "Ifeatu Melifonwu, who had all the makings of a bust, was a critical player late last season as the lightbulb finally clicked for the safety. It's hard to build a locker room of faith and patience like that, and Campbell has done it expertly."
