Since taking over in 2021, Brad Holmes has helped transform the Detroit Lions from rebuilders into real contenders—and the results speak for themselves.
Under Holmes’ leadership, Detroit has drafted six players who’ve reached the Pro Bowl: Aidan Hutchinson, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jahmyr Gibbs, Brian Branch, Sam LaPorta, and Penei Sewell. Safety Kerby Joseph, a third-rounder from 2022, is playing at an All-Pro level just three years into his career.
But Holmes says the credit doesn’t belong to him alone.
“It takes everybody,” he said this week. “We can identify the talent, but we’ve got great coaches who can accelerate development and get the most out of these players.”
Holmes emphasized how unified the front office and coaching staff are when it comes to building the team. That alignment, he says, is what’s allowed the Lions to turn draft picks into difference-makers.
In his early drafts, the mission was simple: find talent—anywhere and everywhere. “We needed everything,” Holmes said. “There wasn’t one position. We just needed good football players.”
Now, with a deep and competitive roster, Holmes has more flexibility. Whether that means being patient or moving up in the draft for a player they truly covet, he says the Lions are in a great spot heading into this year’s event.
The result? A team that’s no longer building from scratch—but stacking strength on strength.
It Takes Everybody’: How Brad Holmes and the Lions Built One of the NFL’s Best Rosters
