You'd think at this point the Lions have proved themselves. And maybe not in the way that, you know, winning a Super Bowl would prove things, but they're clearly not a fluke. Playoff performances aside (I know, I know), Dan Campbell and the Lions have clearly built up a perennial playoff contender with one of the league's best cultures. They are, right now, one of the NFL's shining examples of how to stay competive amongst all the parity.
### [RELATED: Analyst just said quiet part out loud about ex-Lions legend’s reputation](https://sidelionreport.com/analyst-just-said-quiet-part-out-loud-ex-detroit--lions-legend-reputation-matthew-stafford)
So you can hardly blame me for being confused when ESPN decided, [in their list of biggest NFL questions heading into 2025](https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/45717323/2025-nfl-season-training-camp-storylines-quarterbacks-rookies-injuries), to question whether ... the Lions have a sustainable winning culture. It seems like that's one of the very few things they _have_ proved in the Dan Campbell era? Here's some of what ESPN wrote on the topic:
ESPN doesn't know what to make of Dan Campbell and the Lions this season
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Campbell is one of the best coaches in the league. There is no question about this, none at all. Two of his best acts with the Lions have been as follows: hiring Aaron Glenn as defensive coordinator, and promoting Ben Johnson to offensive coordinator after his first hiring (Anthony Lynn) didn't work out. Those are the only moves Campbell has needed to make at coordinator over his four years in Detroit -- a rare thing for a team as successful as the Lions have been. After years of interest, both Glenn and Johnson have finally taken head coaching jobs elsewhere, which raises a few questions. The first: Just how good is Campbell's eye for coaching talent? New DC Kelvin Sheppard was promoted from the linebackers coaching job, but Campbell first worked with him back in 2014-15, when Sheppard was still a player on the Dolphins. He's been the defensive coordinator-in-waiting for a while now. What does Campbell see in him? And will that vision be realized? ... The Lions are transitioning from a rebuilt upstart to a bona fide force, and that means they must combat brain drain. This is Campbell's first crack at replacing key staff departures, and getting it right is critical to completing the total team turnaround."
I get it: losing Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn in one offseason is arguably a bigger deal than losing any one player. Even if both of them weren't so highly-regarded as they are, losing both coordinators in the same season would be reason to expect a step back. But Campbell's earned the benefit of the doubt, and there are plenty of other hires on the Lions' coaching staff which point to that.
Although, if Campbell needs to give another kneecap-type speech to convince everyone about the Lions once again, I wouldn't hate that either.
### More Detroit Lions news and analysis