How Dan Campbell Can Improve in 2026

Boy, does the time fly: Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell will be entering his sixth season roaming the sidelines at Ford Field in 2026. 

In his time as Lions head man, he’s become regarded as one of the NFL’s very best head coaches, gaining respect across the league as a superb leader of men. He’s also garnered a reputation for having a strong command of the locker room in Detroit and getting the most out of his players on a weekly basis.   

And although not viewed as an expert tactician, he’s established himself as a capable play-caller and well-rounded head man, playing a major role in the Lions’ rise to relevance the past few seasons. 

Without Campbell and general manager Brad Holmes, there’s absolutely no way Detroit would be coming off a fourth straight winning campaign and be in contention for an NFC North title this upcoming season. 

Yet, there’s still room for improvement for the sixth-year head coach.

Campbell can become an even higher-performing NFL head man by first cleaning up the team's self-inflicted mistakes. 

Penalties such as false starts, offsides and unnecessary personal fouls have become far too par for the course for Campbell’s squad. Super Bowl-caliber teams consistently play disciplined football, and Campbell must ensure those inexcusable errors are significantly reduced. 

Another priority for Campbell must be to efficiently integrate new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing. 

Campbell must allow Petzing to establish his own identity while maintaining the physical, balanced mentality that has become part of the offensive fabric in Detroit. A smooth transition would ensure the offense remains among the NFL's highest-octane units.

Lastly, Campbell should make a concerted effort to fine-tune his aggressive fourth-down play-calling. 

The former NFL tight end has become synonymous with taking calculated risks, and it often has paid dividends. Yet, there have also been times when it’s worked against him and cost the Lions points and/or led to prime field position for opponents. 

The game’s elite coaches know when to keep their foot on the gas pedal and when to instead trust their defense to make a stop or call upon their field-goal unit. Campbell has largely lacked that instinct through his first five years as Detroit head coach.

With all that said, Campbell has already cemented his status as one of the league’s premier head men. However, if he can cut down the costly mistakes, ease the transition to Petzing and become wiser with his fourth-down decision-making, he'll put the Lions in a better position to finally bring the Lombardi Trophy to the Motor City.