Dan Campbell never imagined the Detroit Lions’ 2025 campaign would wrap up in Week 18 with their postseason fate already sealed — especially for a team once viewed as a legitimate Super Bowl threat.
Detroit (8-8) will miss the playoffs for the first time in two seasons after being eliminated by the Minnesota Vikings in a 23-10 loss on Christmas Day at U.S. Bank Stadium.
After winning the division in consecutive years and hosting playoff games, finishing the season this way has clearly rattled Campbell.
During a recent media session, the Lions’ head coach stopped short of confirming any offseason staff changes but acknowledged that adjustments could be on the table following the loss to Minnesota.
Despite the disappointment, there is a belief within the organization that this setback could ultimately fuel Campbell and his coaching staff moving forward.
“That’s exactly what this can do,” Campbell said. “Sometimes you’ve got to reach a low point before you can climb back up.
Compared to where we were, this feels like rock bottom. But even though it looks bad, we’re not as far off as it might seem. There are just a few things we need to realign.
“And that goes for the coaches just as much as the players. That’s what I evaluate as a head coach — how do we respond to adversity? We’ve still got one game left, and the question is what we’re willing to do to try to win it.”
While the season hasn’t unfolded as planned, Campbell remains confident the Lions can rebound. He’s experienced playoff disappointment before in Detroit, though the circumstances are different this time around.
Campbell took over in 2021, inheriting a rebuilding roster that finished 3-13-1 in his first year. The following season began with a 1-6 start, but the Lions surged late, winning eight of their final 10 games to finish 9-8 and narrowly miss the postseason.
Establishing a new culture took time, and those early near-misses were difficult — particularly in 2022, when a playoff berth was within reach. Campbell leaned on those failures to help shape the success the team found over the next two seasons.
“For me, failure is a powerful motivator,” Campbell said. “You’ve got two choices. You can sit there and feel sorry for yourself — like sitting in a dirty diaper if you’ve got kids — just staying miserable.
Or you clean it up, get moving, and push forward. That motivation comes from pride.
“You never want to experience that kind of disappointment again, so you do everything possible to make sure it doesn’t repeat itself. Whatever it takes — or you’ll go down trying, given what this league demands.”
