The Lions are the best team in the NFL: Three principles behind their success

Bucky Brooks

NFL Analyst

After watching the Detroit Lions‘ unlikely emergence as the best team in the NFL under Dan Campbell, the football world is obsessed with uncovering the formula that helped transform a cellar dweller into a title contender. Owners and executives are carefully studying the Lions’ team-building strategies to see if they can replicate their success soon.

After taking some time to study the Lions’ rapid rise under Campbell and general manager Brad Holmes, here are three principles behind their success:

Pick a “leader of men” as the head coach

At a time when the football world promoted the hottest offensive or defensive coordinator as a top head coaching candidate, the Lions chose a former NFL player without coordinator experience to guide the franchise out of the wilderness. Though Dan Campbell briefly served as an interim head coach with the Miami Dolphins, he was primarily a tight ends coach for over a decade before taking in Detroit.

Viewed as an unconventional hire at the time, Campbell’s commitment to instilling a culture built on toughness and grit has transformed the Lions from cellar dwellers to division champs. As a visionary, the rugged leader stocked his coaching staff with former NFL players who leaned into their playing experience to help a young, talented roster develop into a juggernaut under their tutelage.

Moreover, Campbell’s unwavering commitment to old-school values helped him navigate rough waters and overcome a 4-19 start to post the league’s best record (31-8) since the middle of the 2022 season. The Lions play with a toughness and edge that reflects Motown, and their collective resilience has been shaped through throwback practice methods that forge unbreakable team bonds.

Whether it is the defense tapping in with 40 up-downs to unify the unit or the team utilizing padded practices to create a “Bully Ball” mentality, the Lions have a 1980s feel to them when you watch them overwhelm opponents with their physicality and toughness.

As a leader, Campbell deserves credit for making challenging staffing decisions. He quickly identified and promoted an unheralded Ben Johnson to offensive coordinator after pivoting from his original offensive play-caller in the middle of the first season. He also displayed exceptional patience with defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn amid the defense’s struggles a season ago.

Given how a team is a direct reflection of its coach, Campbell’s presence as the Lions’ leader has keyed their transformation into one of the league’s superpowers.

Transform top picks into “blue-chip” players

Every NFL general manager and head coach enters the draft with the intent to draft difference-makers at the top. Hall of Fame executive Ron Wolf used to preach to his scouting staff that great teams must identify blue-chip prospects within the first three rounds and develop those players into Pro Bowl-caliber difference-makers.

The Lions have seemingly followed that edict, with Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell crushing the top of the draft since they arrived in 2021. Reviewing the Lions’ past four draft classes, it is not a coincidence the team has ascended to the top of the league with their first-round picks playing like game-changers between the lines. Penei Sewell, Aidan Hutchinson, Jameson Williams, Jahmyr Gibbs, Jack Campbell, and Terrion Arnold have played up to the standard as first-round picks expected to deliver game-changing plays.

The Lions have also squeezed out blue-chip performance from their former Day 2 and Day 3 picks, who were initially pegged as developmental prospects based on their draft status. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Sam LaPorta, Brian Branch, Alim McNeil and Kerby Joseph exceeded expectations as unheralded prospects who quickly performed at Pro Bowl levels within their respective roles. The mass infusion of premier talent has enabled the Lions to overwhelm opponents without utilizing tricks or gimmicks. Holmes and Campbell have assembled a roster that can win utilizing force or finesse, with their star players thriving in roles that enable the Lions to feature diverse game plans.

Given the importance of balance, variety, and “take over the game” playmakers in the playoffs, the Lions’ superior talent and depth give them a chance to knock out any team in a single-elimination tournament.

While the Lions have found a formula that helps them identify the right players for their system and culture, the coaching staff deserves kudos for helping intriguing prospects maximize their talents between the lines. A coaching staff loaded with former NFL players have parlayed their past experiences into valuable instruction tools that help young players refine their games.

From quarterbacks (Mark Brunell and JT Barett) to wide receivers (Antwaan Randle El) to offensive linemen (Hank Fraley) to linebackers (Kelvin Sheppard and Shaun Dion Hamilton) to defensive backs (Aaron Glenn and Deshea Townsend), the Lions have intentionally positioned former players in key positions to provide mentorship and guidance to a young roster that needs support.

With the team playing at a championship level, the Lions’ player identification and development approach could become the blueprint for others attempting to match their success.

Build up and support the franchise quarterback

After the Lions swapped out Matthew Stafford for Jared Goff, the team has steadfastly supported the former No. 1 overall pick since his arrival. Campbell has gone out of his way to prop up his QB1 at every press conference with positive words and bold proclamations.

Moreover, the Lions have tweaked their offensive approach to accentuate Goff’s strengths as a player. From utilizing tempo to featuring more play-action passes, the Lions’ playbook is littered with concepts that match or enhance the plays that helped him develop into a Pro Bowl player with the Los Angeles Rams.

With the front office stockpiling the lineup with one of the best offensive lines in football, surrounded by an elite collection of playmakers and pass catchers, the Lions have enabled Goff to settle into his role as a distributor/manager. Though “game manager” has negative connotations, the best quarterbacks understand how to mitigate risks to keep the team in a position to win the game.

Goff has mastered the art of winning by allowing his stellar supporting cast to do the heavy lifting as playmakers. Instead of forcing throws into tight windows or playing “hero ball” from the pocket, the veteran has trusted the scheme and targeted the open receiver within the progression. Goff has helped the Lions’ offense evolve into an unstoppable unit without forcing the issue by playing with patience, discipline, and poise.

While the veteran deserves credit for his continued improvement, the Lions’ schematics, tactics and personnel have helped his ascension. Few opponents can match the Lions’ talent, with Johnson moving the pieces around the chess board like a guru. The team can rely on a punishing running game with David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs gutting opponents between the tackles behind a talented frontline that relishes mauling defenders at the line of scrimmage, or the Lions can throw the ball all over the yard with St. Brown, Williams and LaPorta scooting across the field on various “catch-and-run” concepts.

Given the impact on the play-caller, playmakers and pass protectors on the quarterback, the Lions’ supporting cast has elevated Goff and helped the veteran re-emerge as the franchise quarterback worthy of building an offense around.

Bucky Brooks is an NFL analyst for FOX Sports. He also breaks down the game for NFL Network and as a cohost of the “Moving the Sticks” podcast. Follow him on Twitter @BuckyBrooks.