Back in 2017, the [Detroit Lions](http://detroitlions.com) made what many still call a head-scratcher of a move: they fired **Jim Caldwell** after a winning season. The head coaching job was open, and plenty of names were floating around, including **[Matt Patricia.](https://detroitsportsnation.com/trio-of-former-detroit-lions-players-take-to-twitter-to-give-advice-bash-matt-patricia/wgbrady/detroit-lions/detroit-lions-news/11/26/2020/239732/)**
But here’s the kicker: **Dan Campbell** wanted that job badly. According to his wife, **Holly Campbell**, Dan was itching for a shot at the Lions gig in 2018. Detroit wasn’t just another NFL city to him. He’d played for the Lions from 2006 to 2008, and he and Holly had loved their time in Michigan. They always told themselves, “If we ever get a chance to come back, we’re taking it.”
Campbell was already building his coaching résumé by then. He’d been the Dolphins’ interim head coach in 2015 and had tasted what it was like to run a team. By 2018, he was hungry for more. The Lions? They didn’t even give him an interview.
It wasn’t like Campbell was invisible in that hiring cycle, as he did land multiple interviews. He just couldn’t land one of those jobs. Instead, he went back to New Orleans as Sean Payton’s assistant head coach and tight ends coach, sharpening his leadership style and waiting for another shot.
Meanwhile, the Lions? They hired Matt Patricia. And… well, we all know how _that_ turned out. Spoiler: not great.
Fast-forward three years. The Patricia era crashed and burned, and the Lions finally turned back to Campbell. This time, the stars aligned. Not only did they land Campbell, but they also brought in **Brad Holmes** as general manager, a pairing that’s reshaped the franchise’s culture from the ground up.
And here we are. Dan Campbell is now the face of the Lions, preaching grit, chewing kneecaps, and leading Detroit back into the national spotlight. Looking back, it’s hard not to laugh at how close the Lions were to getting it right earlier. But hey—better late than never.