The Detroit Lions set the bar awfully high for themselves heading into the 2025 season after finishing 15-2 and clinching the No. 1 seed in the NFC the previous year.
Though the team suffered a disappointing setback in the NFC Championship Game — Detroit lost 45-31 to the Washington Commanders — many around the NFL believed the Lions had the offensive firepower with quarterback Jared Goff, running back Jahmyr Gibbs, wide receivers Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams, and tight end Sam LaPorta to repeat its 2024 success.
However, the losses of offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn to head coach jobs with the Chicago Bears and New York Jets, respectively, proved to be much harder obstacles to overcome than some initially believed.
Dan Campbell Noncommittal on One Coordinator
GettyDetroit Lions defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard may be not he hot seat
When Glenn departed for New York, most inside the Lions’ building were thrilled to see linebackers coach Kelvin Sheppard get promoted to fill the position.
Sheppard, an 8-year NFL veteran who played his final season with the Lions in 2018, had been on staff since 2021 when he started his coaching career as an outside linebackers coach.
But in his first year running the defense, Sheppard’s unit has underperformed, and fans have been calling for Campbell to make a change heading into next season — something he addressed during a radio interview with 97.1 The Ticket on Tuesday.
“Listen, I’m not anywhere yet,” Campbell said. “I got one game left here. I’m not about to start going through what I’m going to do here or there — I’m not. Has my mind gone there right after the game for a day or so, 24 hours, yeah, you go through a lot in your head. But most of it is about yourself.
“I think about myself because the bottom line is, I’m the one who’s not done a good enough job here. That’s very evident. So, I’ve got to figure out my own stuff here — what do I need to correct — then I’ll start to work through the other stuff later.”
Campbell did, however, make sure to point out he believes Sheppard has grown in his first year running the defense, admitting “I think Shepp’s done a damn good job.”
Detroit’s Defensive Numbers Aren’t Pretty
Sheppard had the advantage of one thing Glenn didn’t have during his last season with the team: a healthy Adain Hutchinson.
After coming back from brutal tibia and fibula fractures suffered last season, Hutchinson picked up right where he left off, logging a career-high 13.5 sacks and 4 forced fumbles, along with 92 pressures, 58 hurries, and 19 QB hits.
But despite Hutchinson’s best efforts and a seemingly improved defensive line, the Lions actually regressed in run defense, dropping from 5th in 2024 (98.4 yards per game) to 16th this season (117.6 yards per game).
Detroit also took a drastic fall in scoring defense as well, dropping from 7th in 2024 (20.1 points allowed per game) to 23rd this season (24.8 points allowed per game).
The Lions did see improvement in two areas under Sheppard — total defense, which jumped from 20th to 18th, and passing defense, which jumped from 30th to 19th — but it may not be quite enough to save his job.
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