Detroit Lions star Aidan Hutchinson recently expressed confidence in the team’s ability to succeed, despite losing key coordinators this offseason. While the departure of Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn—who were instrumental in the team’s rise—might raise concerns, Hutchinson downplays the significance of their exits. He believes the true difference-maker is not the coaches, but the players.
The Lions’ remarkable transformation over the past few years has been one of the NFL’s most compelling stories. After a dismal 3-13-1 season in 2021, Detroit fans had little hope that the Dan Campbell era would offer anything different. However, the team turned things around the next year, finishing just short of a playoff spot with a 9-8 record. In 2023, they made it to the NFC Championship game, and in 2024, they finished with the best record in the NFC at 15-2.
Though head coach Dan Campbell deserves much credit for the team’s resurgence, many experts believe that coordinators Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn played a vital role in Detroit’s success. However, both have since been hired as head coaches for the Chicago Bears and the New York Jets, respectively. This has led to speculation about whether the Lions will regress with new coordinators in 2025.
On “The Lautner’s” podcast, Hutchinson downplayed these concerns, stating, “I don’t care who they bring in to coach us. Keeping Dan as head coach is key, but when it comes to coordinators and position coaches, it doesn’t matter as much. As long as we have the right players in the locker room—our core group on both offense and defense—we can succeed. The key is having playmakers who can execute on Sundays.”
While it’s likely the Bears and Jets believe the success of Glenn and Johnson played a significant role in Detroit’s rise, Hutchinson’s perspective reflects his belief that the team’s core players, not the coaches, are responsible for the success. Though it’s common for teams to experience a dip in performance after losing key coordinators, Hutchinson seems confident that the Lions can maintain their high level of play.
