Lions set their future with hiring of Campbell, Holmes
DETROIT (BVM) — The Detroit Lions have been stuck in mediocrity for over two decades. After two more failed hirings in former general manager Bob Quinn and former head coach Matt Patricia, the Lions have been looking to start over this winter.
With the recent hirings of Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell, there is optimism in Detroit once again.
It begins with the hiring of Holmes, who had spent the last 18 years working within the Rams organization. Holmes graduated from North Carolina A&T — where he played defensive back for the Aggies — with a degree in journalism and mass communications. Soon after, he joined the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks in a public relations role.
By 2003, Holmes transitioned to a public relations role in football with the Rams. He quickly moved up through the organization, and by 2013, Holmes was officially named the organization’s director of college scouting.
As an analytics guy, Holmes has done a great job overseeing Rams’ drafts over the last several years. He is part of the group responsible for terrific draft picks in Todd Gurley, Cooper Kupp and Aaron Donald. He and the Rams’ brass have also kept the team in contention despite not having a first-round draft pick since 2016.
The 41-year-old is the son of former Steelers’ lineman, Mel Holmes. Now, he has his first chance to lead a team of his own after receiving a five-year contract from Detroit. Due to a new NFL rule, the Rams will receive a third-round compensatory selection in the upcoming draft.
Holmes becomes the fifth Black general manager in the NFL, joining Andrew Berry of the Cleveland Browns and Chris Grier of the Miami Dolphins, as well as recent hires in Terry Fontenot of the Atlanta Falcons and Martin Mayhew of the Washington Football Team.
Also a finalist for the Atlanta Falcons general manager position, Holmes was one of 12 candidates interviewed by the Lions in a wide and thorough search. And although he wasn’t even initially on the Lions’ shortlist when the search began a couple of months ago, Detroit is happy to have him.
“On behalf of the entire Lions organization, I am thrilled to welcome Brad Holmes to Detroit,” owner Sheila Ford Hamp said in a statement. “Several weeks ago when we embarked on this process, it was critical that we find the right person to fit our vision for this team. It was evident early on that Brad is a proven leader who is ready for this opportunity. We are thrilled to introduce him to our fans as a member of our football family.”
“Throughout our search for a new general manager, Brad was someone who stood out immediately,” team president Rod Wood said in a statement. “His abilities as a critical thinker, along with his extensive experience implementing technology and analytics into his approach to scouting, were among the many decisive qualities Brad displayed in our time getting to know him during the interview process. We look forward to him helping lead our organization as we take the next steps as a team.”
Holmes will be thrown into the fire for a team that is coming off a 5-11 season. The Lions have had 13 double-digit loss seasons over the last two decades, and have won just one playoff game since 1957. Big decisions are in front of Holmes personnel wise as well, such as whether to keep franchise quarterback Matthew Stafford around.
One big decision has already been made by Holmes and the Lions with the hiring of new head coach Dan Campbell this week.
Campbell was brought in from the New Orleans Saints, where he spent the last five seasons as the team’s tight end coach and assistant head coach. Prior to his time in New Orleans, Campbell had been with the Miami Dolphins, who he became an intern with in 2010.
He was quickly promoted to tight end coach in Miami, and is most remembered for his interim head coaching stint in South Beach in 2015, where he coached the Dolphins to a 5-7 record over their last 12 games.
Campbell also played 11 seasons in the NFL, and notably played for the Lions from 2006-2008.
Although he has never been a coordinator at any point in his coaching career, Campbell comes from a respected background off of the Sean Payton coaching tree. The 28th head coach in Lions franchise history is also known as a true leader and motivator, and he proved so with some interesting words in his introductory press conference.
“Here’s what I do know is that this team is going to take on the identity of this city,” Campbell said. “This city’s been down and it found a way to get up. It’s found a way to overcome adversity. So this team’s going to be built on, we’re going to kick you in the teeth, and when you punch us back, we’re going to smile at you. And when you knock us down, we’re gonna get up and on the way up, we’re gonna bite a kneecap off.
“And we’re going to stand up and then it’s gonna take two more shots to knock us down. And on the way up, we’re going to take your other kneecap and we’re going to get up and then it’s going to take three shots to get us down. And when we do, we’re gonna take another hunk out of you. Before long, we’re going to be the last one standing, alright? That’s going to be the mentality.”
After a troubling 13-29-1 tenure by Matt Patricia in which he was fired during the season last November, the comments from Campbell seem to be a refreshing change for Lions’ fans. He appears to already be making himself quite comfortable in his new digs in Detroit as well.
The Dude abides pic.twitter.com/HhTLbDBrOS
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) January 21, 2021
Campbell beat out five other coaching candidates the Lions were looking at, including Arthur Smith, Robert Saleh, Marvin Lewis, Eric Bieniemy and interim coach Darrell Bevell. Lions ownership seems thrilled to have Campbell as their new leader.
“This is an exciting day for our organization as we introduce Dan Campbell as the new head coach of the Detroit Lions,” Ford Hamp said in a statement. “With more than 20 years of experience as both a coach and player in the National Football League, Dan knows the rigors of professional football and what it takes to be successful. He will help promote the culture we want to establish across our organization, while also bringing with him high energy, a respect for the game and an identity with which everyone can align themselves.”
“Dan’s passion for this opportunity was evident throughout our interview process, Wood said in a statement. “When we began the search for a head coach, it was imperative that we find the right leader who values our commitment to building a winning culture based on organizational alignment and collaboration. The leadership Dan has exemplified throughout his football career has prepared him for this next step, and we are excited to support him as our new head coach.”
The 44-year-old Campbell was confidently given a six-year deal to become head coach of the Lions. With less x’s and o’s experience than many candidates, Campbell’s coordinating hires will be of importance. He has already begun that process by bringing Saints’ secondary coach Aaron Glenn with him to Detroit as the team’s new defensive coordinator.
For a franchise that has been stuck in mediocrity, and has failed over the last several years trying to model the “Patriot Way,” Campbell and Holmes offer a perhaps unique, intriguing and optimistic future. Now, it’s time to sit back and see if these two can finally be the ones to turn this franchise around.
