The Detroit Lions have experienced an unexpected turnaround in recent years. Once considered a laughingstock for decades, the team has now claimed two consecutive NFC North titles, reached the NFC Championship Game in 2023, and posted a 15-2 record, securing the No. 1 seed in the conference this season.

While numerous players, coaches, and executives have contributed to this cultural shift in Detroit, head coach Dan Campbell stands out as the face of the franchise and deserves significant credit for the Lions’ success. Taking over as head coach in 2021, Campbell’s first season and a half were rocky, but the former NFL tight end has since proven himself as one of the top coaches in the league, completely changing the perception of the organization.

Campbell’s influence has been especially profound on quarterback Jared Goff. The 2016 No. 1 overall pick was traded to the Lions from the Los Angeles Rams in the same offseason Campbell became head coach, and the two have built a strong bond over the years.

After Detroit’s Week 18 win over the Minnesota Vikings, Goff became emotional while discussing Campbell’s impact on him and the team.

“He’s breathed life into me from the moment I got here,” Goff shared on the Sunday Night Football Postgame Show. “It’s been a lot of fun to win with him and have a guy like that believe not just in me, but in the whole team. At every point in this journey over the last four years, he’s believed in us, and it’s been fun to play for him.”

It’s clear that Campbell is deeply respected in the locker room and has transformed the culture in Detroit. At 48 years old, he’s helped restore relevance to the Lions for the first time in 50 years, aided by general manager Brad Holmes, and is building a new identity for the franchise that has never been seen before in the Motor City.