The 2026 NFL owners’ meetings are in full flow, but one conspicuous absence has sparked conversation among Detroit Lions fans.
General manager Brad Holmes, who has been one of the busiest NFL executives this offseason, did not attend the party, and many sources say that he is gone due to a “personal” issue.
“According to individuals with knowledge of the situation, Detroit Lions GM Brad Holmes is NOT attending the owner’s conference owing to “personal” reasons,” Detroit Sports Podcast tweeted on X.
The meeting is being held in Phoenix, Arizona, and a group of Detroit Lions employees are present, including head coach Dan Campbell.
Right now, no reports have revealed the precise reason for Holmes’ absence in Phoenix, other than that it is of a “personal” character. We surely hope that everything is okay and that he will be able to return to the task of strengthening Detroit’s roster in preparation for the crucial 2026 NFL season soon.
Detroit Lions GM Brad Holmes and coach Dan Campbell dismissed speculations of a schism between them.
Amidst news of a split between Holmes and Campbell, both individuals have stated that no animosity exists.
“Brad and myself do everything together,” Campbell said, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “And despite what’s been floating around, that’s a load of… listen, we’re golden, man. We are at our best. We want to win, and we’re going to make sure we do it correctly. “
“I don’t know where the other stuff came from, but no,” Holmes remarked. “I mean, if anything, it’s me and Dan in complete agreement, as we always have been, and we’re just kind of looking at everything top to bottom, which we’ve already done, and that we’ll continue to do for sure. “
Lions General Manager Brad Holmes recently discussed the deal involving David Montgomery.
Like the majority of NFL teams this offseason, the Lions have signed a number of new players while also bidding farewell to some others.
One of the players the Lions split ways with was David Montgomery, whose role decreased during the 2025 NFL season.
“It was evident that he had fewer touches,” Holmes said this week on the Lions Collective podcast. “And look, a lot of it was not just him. That is how Jahmyr rose to fame. Me, David’s agent, and David all had productive conversations, and we agreed that it was the best option for everyone. It was shortly after the conclusion of the season that (we decided), “Let’s just see if we can get the appropriate return. “
He did, however, emphasize that there was no animosity between the two parties.
“That’s going to be a loss not just as a player, but he had such an impact on our locker room from a leadership standpoint, our culture,” Holmes said. “But it was all constructive dialogue. ” There was never any animosity or anything. And I believe it worked out nicely for both sides. “
