Detroit Lions' Dan Campbell and coaching staff ranked 2nd-best across NFL by ESPN

Detroit Lions’ Dan Campbell and coaching staff ranked 2nd-best across NFL by ESPN

Posted by Admin August 22, 2024 NFL

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The culture instilled by head coach Dan Campbell and his staff over the past three years has swayed more than just the Detroit Lions faithful.

The Lions coaching staff is universally recognized as one of the best in the league for the linear growth from a 3-13-1 season in 2021 to winning the NFC North and reaching the NFC championship game two seasons later. The Lions’ coaching nucleus of Campbell, offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn are entering their third season together — a rare level of continuity in professional football coaching — and have a proven track record of getting the most out of players in the team’s scheme.

On Thursday, ESPN released an NFL coaching ranking where writer Ben Solak placed the Lions coaching staff as second-best across the league. The Lions coaches were only ranked behind the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs’ coaching staff, led by a bonafide Hall of Famer in Andy Reid.

But, Campbell and the Lions’ leaders came ahead of five Super Bowl winners — Mike Tomlin (Steelers), Sean McVay (Rams), John Harbaugh (Ravens), Mike McCarthy (Cowboys) and Sean Payton (Broncos) — because of the culture and ability to retain both coordinators to avoid any sweeping changes in the offseason.

“There’s not a single thing Campbell doesn’t do right,” Solak wrote. “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.”

Solak praised the Lions for developing a culture where young players can grow, whether it is in Year 1 like Amon-Ra St. Brown or later down the line like Ifeatu Melifonwu’s breakout down the stretch at safety last season. Or when Campbell made the switch to Johnson as offensive coordinator midseason in 2021, and being able to hold onto Johnson for this long.

“Let’s talk about Johnson, who is probably the best offensive coordinator on this list,” Solak wrote. “Detroit’s offense has been a top-10 unit by DVOA and expected points added in each of the past two seasons, and he has received several head-coaching interviews accordingly.”

And Glenn got some shine, though the defense has been a sore spot in seasons past, for doing what he could with the talent available.

“The metrics of the Detroit defense aren’t as good as the offense, but they took a huge step forward in run defense last season. With a revamped cornerback room, the coverage should catch up.”

SHAWN WINDSOR: Aaron Glenn has pieces to improve Detroit Lions defense. It’s time to make it happen.

The Lions added three new position coaches on the defense in defensive line coach Terrell Williams, defensive backs coach Deshea Townsend and analyst Jim O’Neill, but the rest of the staff remains unchanged from last season. Only three other teams in ESPN’s top 10 — the Chiefs, Vikings and Texans — did not have to replace one or both coordinators in the offseason.

At the bottom of the rankings: the Las Vegas Raiders and first-year coach Antonio Pierce.

Lions fans: Get ready for this season by reliving the team’s epic 2023 season with a new book from the Free Press, “From Grit to Glory.” Order now!