DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Lions went generations searching for a general manager and coach to lead them to success.
The franchise finally found what it was looking for three years ago, hiring general manager Brad Holmes and coach Dan Campbell, and it doesn’t want to look for new leaders anytime soon.
The Lions announced Thursday they have extended the contracts of Holmes and Campbell through the 2027 season.
“They have been the driving force behind the rebuild of our football team and the success that we have enjoyed,” Lions owner Sheila Ford Hamp said. “The continuity they provide for our football program will continue to be the key to our future success on the field.”
The club also said former Lions linebacker Chris Spielman, a key staffer behind the scenes, was retained with a multi-year extension as special assistant.
Holmes joined the Lions prior to the start of the 2021 season and has been credited with rebuilding the roster. He drafted well, taking lineman Penei Sewell (2021), receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (2021), defensive lineman Aidan Hutchinson (2022), receiver Jameson Williams (2022), tight end Jack Campbell (2023), tight end Sam LaPorta (2023, 34th overall) and safety Brian Branch (2023).
Holmes joined the Lions from the Los Angeles Rams, where he climbed the ranks to director of college scouting over his 18 years with the club. He was named NFL Executive of the Year for 2023 for building the Lions team that recorded a 12-5 record and reached the NFC championship game.
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Campbell joined the Lions six days after Holmes. In his first full-time head coaching stint, Campbell has a 24-26-1 record. The former tight end has led a significant turnaround after going 3-13-1 in his first season.
Campbell led the Lions to their first NFC North title in 2023 as well as their first NFL playoff victory in 32 years. The Lions’ appearance in the NFC championship game was the team’s first since 1991, and Campbell was named an Associated Press Coach of the Year Finalist.
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