The Detroit Lions were one of the most underwhelming teams in the NFL for several decades. Dan Campbell changed that when he became their head coach in 2021. Although he got off to a rough start in his first season, they've turned the corner and have become one of the most popular clubs. Coincidentally, the Jags also started a rebuild in the same year but don't have much to show for it. Maybe they should look at the Lions' rise and take notes on how to become relevant.
Anthony Crupi of Sportico recently talked about Detroit's ascension and the reasons they became the most-watched team in the NFL last year. Aside from winning, he cites Campbell as the biggest one, noting that the Lions' head coach is the "most compelling guy to sport a metaphorical whistle around his neck since Rex Ryan" in the early 2010s.
"The Lions, a symbol of futility and the inherent unfairness of it all for more years than most of us have been sentient, closed out the regular season as the most-watched NFL franchise. Over the course of 10 wild and woolly national TV dates, Campbell’s charges scared up 22.6 million viewers per game, edging the perennial ratings champs in Dallas by some 175,000 impressions.
Yes, those Lions. The same bunch that two years ago had been limited to a pair of national windows (a pittance compared to the Cowboys’ standard dose of 11 big dates) is now the most popular team on the tube"
Whereas 22.5 million fans on average tuned in to watch the Lions every game in 2024, the Jags averaged 6.4 million viewers per game. Granted, Detroit is a bigger market than Jacksonville, but it's fair to say that more people would watch the Jaguars play if they were relevant.
Dan Campbell and the Lions got many things right, the Jaguars didn't
Dan Campbell has a unique personality, one that cannot be emulated organically. That said, there are many things that the Jacksonville Jaguars could learn from the Detroit Lions' turnaround.
For example, Campbell hired Anthony Lynn as his offensive coordinator in 2021. However, he wasn't a fit, and instead of doubling down on the mistake, the Lions head coach dismissed his assistant. Meanwhile, Doug Pederson stubbornly held onto offensive coordinator Press Taylor even though he wasn't doing a great job. Heck, he even threw players under his bus to defend his protegee. That's something Campbell would never do.
The Lions head coach sticks up for his players and empowers them. That in turn allows them to perform to the best of their capacities. That wasn't always the case during Pederson's stint in Jacksonville.
Another thing that helped the Lions turn things around while the Jaguars got worse after winning the AFC South and making the playoffs in 2022 was their collaborative effort. Campbell and general manager Brad Holmes are on the same page.
Holmes knows what kind of players fit Cambpell's vision, and has done a superb job of stacking the Lions roster with top-notch talent. Meanwhile, Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke routinely feuded with the coaching staff and was seemingly more interested in looking for ways to make himself look good at the expense of Pederson.
Surprisingly, Baalke got to stay while Pederson was kicked to the curb. Now, the Jaguars are running a search to find their third head coach since 2021 while the Lions are in the midst of a playoff run.
There's not much the Jags can do but take notes on how the Lions got to where they are. Then again, it all may be fruitless unless Baalke gest his walking papers, which may or may not happen.