By Blessing 
The Detroit Lions may quietly be facing a new challenge as Dan Campbell takes on the dual role of head coach and full-time offensive play-caller. Detroit is still right in the mix of the NFC playoff picture and very much alive in the NFC North race, which almost feels miraculous considering everything the team has pushed through in 2025.
The Lions haven’t only battled a long list of injuries, but they also essentially shifted away from offensive coordinator John Morton, with Campbell stepping in midseason to call the offense. That move now leaves Campbell trying to balance the demands of running the entire team while also steering every offensive snap.
To Campbell’s credit, the Lions have gone 2–1 since he took over play-calling duties. The offense looks sharper, more aggressive, and more confident. But while the results have been encouraging, some of Campbell’s other responsibilities may be slipping through the cracks. Game flow, clock decisions, and in-game management moments seem to be taking a hit as Campbell stays locked into the offensive side of the ball.
ESPN’s Mike Greenberg was watching Detroit’s 34–27 comeback win against the New York Giants and admitted he believes the coach is trying to juggle too much at once. Greenberg even hinted that Campbell could soon face a major decision about how he operates during games.
Since Campbell began calling plays, fans and analysts have noticed more questionable choices around timeouts and overall decision-making. Campbell himself has said in the past that he must be extremely focused when calling plays, so it’s very possible that Greenberg is right — certain details are being overlooked. Sunday’s matchup was a clear example of that.
A second-half miscue highlighted the strain Campbell might be under. While the Lions were driving late in the fourth quarter, Jared Goff spiked the ball to stop the clock — yet a timeout was still called from the sideline. The clock was already stopped, so losing a timeout in that situation felt unnecessary. Campbell took responsibility for the error, saying it stemmed from miscommunication between himself and the players. After the win, he didn’t have a solid explanation, only acknowledging it was a strange moment the team was lucky didn’t cost them more.
“So, the headset communication. I don’t know what happened with that to be honest with you. I just know I couldn’t get to (Jared Goff). I don’t know if something happened. I don’t know (with) the procedure of what goes on for me, from me to him. It was just one of those oddball weird deals where thank God it didn’t cost us to where I had to use (the timeout later).”
Even though the offense has benefited from Campbell taking control, it might be wise for him to get some additional help on the sidelines — maybe a dedicated game-flow consultant or someone who can handle the smaller decisions he can’t always monitor. If not, one of these errors could show up at the worst possible time.
For now, Campbell is doing everything he can to keep Detroit on track. It’s working, but unless the Lions find a way to lighten his load, it could become costly later in the season.