The Lions’ Brad Holmes is Officially the Villain

“You either die a hero, or live long enough to see yourself become the villain.” This quote from The Dark Knight is the perfect way to sum up Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes. 

After the disaster that was the Bob Quinn and Matt Patricia era, Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell were hired after the 2020 season to usher in a new era. It was innovative, offensive-minded, and the passion was palpable. What happened was magical. The Lions built one of the best offenses in the league; the fan base was glowing, and the three letters that haunted the city of Detroit were effectively dead: S.O.L., aka Same Old Lions.

While Campbell was the face of the rebuild, the architect was Holmes. He drafted the majority of this team; he added the pieces to make this team a juggernaut. His drafting prowess and building a team through his guys were amazing. Detroit won its first playoff game in over 30 years in the 2024 Playoffs, earned a first overall seed for the 2025 playoffs, and the man wearing the villain hoodie became the hero of the franchise.

Fast forward to 2026, and the man who built the Lions is now the biggest villain. 

What Has Gone Wrong For Brad Holmes

The team, while still an offensive engine, isn’t as explosive as the team that put belt to ass on teams. The defensive issues that plagued this team still exist. He holds onto his draft process so hard it’s blinding his own genius. As other teams around the league will pivot, sign players, move players, and package picks for superstars, Brad Holmes is so attached to his process that he doesn’t know how to move. And it’s killing the team.

The excitement is gone. The buzz around Detroit is gone. The city has returned to the quagmire it was for decades. The Lions haven’t won anything since 1957, and that was an NFL Championship. The Lions have NEVER played a down in the Super Bowl. The way the Lions are constructed right now, the Lions look as far away from the Super Bowl as ever. Regardless of the stars, there are so many gaps, particularly on one side of the field, that it feels insurmountable at the time being. Brad is the face of this fact.

The failure to build on the success of two seasons- and that success is two years ago- is why the Lions went 9-8 last season and are objectively abysmal on defense this season. Take away the first bit of success Detroit had since Barry Sanders. Would you, Brad Holmes, give yourself a passing grade for failing to capitalize on a clear Super Bowl window?

There are no jobs for life in the NFL. It’s a “what have you done for me lately” league. The fans’ last images of you are getting obliterated by the Washington Commanders in the 2025 playoffs (defense again!), watching the slide happen last season, and four games in with having 30, 41, 24, and 32 points allowed.