As his seat naturally gets warmer, here are five potential candidates to replace Dan Campbell as Detroit Lions head coach.
Even as what seemed like the option they could get to take their job and take on the mess Matt Patricia left behind, Dan Campbell was immediately likeable upon being hired as Detroit Lions head coach. As a former player, he could certainly relate to players and motivate them in a way Patricia never could or seemed particularly interested in attempting.
Campbell got a mulligan in 2021, as the Lions were starting a rebuild. The last winless team in the league was noticeably better down the stretch last season, finishing 3-13-1 as players clearly bought in. Hope was easy heading into this season, with an easier schedule and a slightly better team on paper.
A defense that was less than awful would have had the Lions with a record better than 1-3 heading into Sunday’s game against the New England Patriots. Facing a third-string rookie quarterback making his first NFL start, it was a winnable game for Detroit.
Amid a litany of mistakes, the Lions went home and into a much-needed bye week with a 29-0 loss.
The Lions set a single-game NFL record by going 0-for-6 on fourth down. Campbell’s a time healthy aggressiveness went off the rails, and even when attempting field goal for the moral victory of scoring points was on the table he avoided it. Then there was this bit of late-game “strategy”, noticed by a Patriots’ beat reporter.
Campbell got a six-year contract when he was hired, but the heat on his seat is ramping up. He’s 4-17-1 as the Lions’ head coach, with two of the latest three losses directly on him as he landed on each end of the aggressiveness spectrum. He’s got a bye week now to evaluate and find some answers, followed by 12 games to prove he clearly deserves a third season in Detroit.
Campbell is in no real danger of being fired in-season, even if there’s at least one potential interim replacement on his staff. But a season were predictions in the range of a .500 record were easy is quickly moving toward something more resembling 5-12.
Campbell’s likeability equity is not quite gone, but it is absolutely fading. If he is gone after the season, which is a massive “if”, here are five potential candidates to replace him.