ESPN: Dan Campbell of the Lions discusses the 2025 challenge of the team with the NFL.
The Brief Lions Coach Dan Campbell talked to FOX 2 while attending the NFL owners meetings in Florida.
Campbell had to change the offensive and defensive coordinators during the Lions’ quick offseason.
Campbell talked on how difficult it is to recover from the shocking playoff defeat from the previous year.
FOX 2-In the midst of an offseason that has been busier than normal in Allen Park, Lions coach Dan Campbell spoke with FOX 2.
Campbell talked with Sports Director Dan Miller during the 2025 NFL Owners’ Meetings in Palm Beach, Florida.
Overall perspective: The coach stated that the bitter taste of defeating the Commanders in the Divisional Round Playoffs after securing the No. 1 seed in the NFC is still present.
“It’s disappointing and it hurts and it motivates you,” he stated. “You either win the Super Bowl or you’re in line with everybody else to try to win the Super Bowl the next year, and that’s where we’re at.”
According to Campbell, the squad failed at the most inconvenient moment. The task now is to repeat the same performance and finish better in order to qualify for another Super Bowl run.
“The message, in my opinion, is: Are you still hungry, man? “Are you tired of taking the hits or are you still hungry?” he said. Are you sick and weary of enduring the lumps? For example, where is your attitude? What are you thinking about? And I believe I know the solution. However, I’m going to put those men to the test.”
The 2025 NFL Draft is less than three weeks away, free agency is mostly completed, and new coaching staff members have been confirmed.
John Morton, the offensive coordinator, and defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard are among the new hires. Having worked with Campbell on the Saints’ staff, Morton is accustomed to working with him as a coach.
Campbell stated that there is a degree of trust between Morton and the Lions, who were the team’s senior offensive assistant in 2022.
“I’ve got a lot of faith in John Morton,” Campbell stated. “He is acquainted with Goff. You know, he knows Sewell, he knows Saint. You understand that he knows Frank. He is acquainted with several of the remaining employees.
“A ton of the things that we’ve done to this point, Johnny had brought, you know, he helped us build this thing from the get-go.”
David Shaw, the former head coach of Stanford who developed Morton as a coach under Jon Gruden, is another significant acquisition. He will be the Lions’ new coordinator of the passing game.
Sheppard also switches from linebacker coach to defensive coordinator. According to Campbell, he provides continuity.
Shep is going to blow this away, in my opinion. Eventually, he will be a head coach in our league, and I believe he will be an excellent defensive coordinator,” Campbell stated. “He understands how to push those people, and the players trust him. He understands what it’s like to be in their position, but he also knows how to make demands.”
